The social media platform X has sparked significant outrage after users utilized its AI chatbot Grok to manipulate photos of women by taking off their garments.
Numerous cases have emerged where the system has been used to virtually strip women to render them in swimwear without permission, as well as to place them in sexually explicit situations.
Developer Response and Legal Stance
XAI, the firm responsible for Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, aside from an standard message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government official stated that legislation is being proposed to outlaw nudification tools. Under a new law, anyone who supplied such technology would "be subject to a jail term and substantial penalties".
"The platform is capable of halting 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 tech firms must "evaluate the potential" of people accessing illegal content on their services, but stopped short of confirming whether it was presently examining X or Grok in relation to AI-generated images.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some additional functions—which responds to X users' queries when they reference it in a tweet.
It is frequently used to offer commentary or further background to other posters' comments, but people on X are also can edit an uploaded photo through its AI image editing tool.
History of Controversy and Policy
The chatbot has been faulted for enabling users to generate pictures and clips with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was earlier alleged to have been involved in making graphic content of celebrities.
"The platform has been permitting the creation and spread of these images for months without taking any measures and we have not witnessed any challenge by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own terms of service forbids "portraying images of persons in a pornographic fashion".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "create or share non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and stated this covered sexual deepfakes generated with AI.
It said platforms such as X were obligated to take "suitable steps" to "minimize the danger" of users coming across illegal material on their platforms and to take down it quickly when they become aware of it.
