Elon Musk's social media platform X has caused significant outrage after users used its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to change photos of females by removing their clothing.
Multiple instances have emerged where the tool has been used to digitally undress women to show them in bikinis without consent, as well as to put them in inappropriate scenarios.
Developer Reaction and Legal Stance
XAI, the organization behind Grok, offered no comment to inquiries, other than an automatically-generated response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office spokesperson stated that new laws is being brought forward to prohibit image stripping tools. Under a upcoming law, anyone who provided such technology would "receive a prison sentence and significant penalties".
"X or Grok could prevent these types of abuse if they wanted to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with impunity."
Oversight Body Stance and Platform Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said platforms must "consider the potential" of people viewing illegal content on their services, but did not specify whether it was presently examining X or Grok in regarding AI-generated pictures.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some paid-for functions—which responds to X users' requests when they mention it in a post.
It is frequently used to offer commentary or additional context to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also able to alter an uploaded photo through its AI image editing function.
History of Controversy and Policy
The tool has been condemned for allowing users to produce photos and clips with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was previously accused of creating inappropriate material of public figures.
"X has been permitting the generation and spread of these images for months without taking any measures and we have yet to see any intervention by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "showing images of people in a sexually explicit manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "make or distribute non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and clarified this included explicit AI images made with AI.
It said networks such as X were mandated to take "appropriate actions" to "minimize the risk" of users encountering illegal content on their platforms and to take down it swiftly when they are notified of it.
