The online network X has caused significant outrage after people utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to change photos of women by taking off their attire.
Multiple examples have been seen where the system has been used to virtually strip women to make them appear in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to put them in sexualized scenarios.
Company Reaction and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the firm responsible for Grok, did not respond to inquiries, aside from an auto-reply response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office representative stated that legislation is being brought forward to prohibit image stripping technology. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who provided such technology would "face a prison sentence and heavy fines".
"X or Grok could prevent these types of abuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Regulator Position and Tool Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "consider the risk" of people viewing unlawful material on their services, but did not specify whether it was currently investigating X or Grok in concerning artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some additional features—which answers X users' prompts when they reference it in a post.
It is frequently used to offer reactions or further background to other users' remarks, but people on X are also able to edit an posted photo through its AI image editing feature.
History of Controversy and Rules
The chatbot has been condemned for enabling users to produce images and clips with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was in the past accused of making sexually explicit content of public figures.
"X has been enabling the production and distribution of these images for months without taking any action and we have not witnessed any challenge by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy bans "portraying images of individuals in a sexually explicit fashion".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was against the law to "create or circulate private pictures or child sexual abuse material" and stated this applied to sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said services such as X were required to take "appropriate actions" to "lessen the risk" of users coming across unlawful content on their services and to remove it promptly when they learn of it.
