The online platform X has caused widespread anger after users used its AI chatbot Grok to manipulate images of women by taking off their garments.
Multiple cases have emerged where the tool has been used to remove clothing from female subjects to render them in bikinis without consent, as well as to put them in sexualized scenarios.
Developer Response and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the firm responsible for Grok, did not respond to questions, other than an standard response stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office official stated that legislation is being introduced to prohibit image stripping software. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who supplied such technology would "receive a prison sentence and heavy fines".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these types of abuse if they wanted to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with impunity."
Oversight Body Position and Platform Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said platforms must "evaluate the potential" of people viewing illegal content on their networks, but did not confirm whether it was presently examining X or Grok in concerning AI-generated pictures.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some premium functions—which reacts to X users' queries when they mention it in a post.
It is often used to offer reactions or more context to other users' comments, but people on X are also capable of modify an posted picture through its AI image editing tool.
History of Controversy and Rules
The system has been criticised for permitting users to create images and footage with explicit content and sexualised material, and it was in the past accused of making sexually explicit content of public figures.
"X has been enabling the generation and distribution of these images for months without taking any action and we have not witnessed any intervention by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own terms of service bans "showing images of individuals in a pornographic way".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was against the law to "create or share non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and confirmed this included explicit AI images generated with AI.
It said networks such as X were mandated to take "appropriate steps" to "lessen the risk" of users encountering illegal material on their platforms and to delete it promptly when they become aware of it.
