The online network X has sparked major backlash after users used its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to manipulate pictures of women by stripping their attire.
Numerous cases have surfaced where the technology has been employed to digitally undress women to render them in bikinis without permission, as well as to put them in sexualized scenarios.
Developer Response and Regulatory Position
XAI, the organization responsible for Grok, offered no comment to inquiries, except for an standard response stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office official stated that legislation is being brought forward to prohibit nudification tools. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who provided such technology would "be subject to a prison sentence and substantial fines".
"The platform has the ability to stop these forms of misuse if they desired to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Regulator Stance and Tool Capabilities
The communications watchdog Ofcom said platforms must "consider the danger" of people viewing unlawful material on their platforms, but did not confirm whether it was currently examining X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some premium features—which answers X users' prompts when they reference it in a message.
It is frequently used to give commentary or additional background to other users' remarks, but people on X are also able to edit an uploaded picture through its artificial intelligence picture modification function.
History of Controversy and Policy
The tool has been condemned for permitting users to produce images and clips with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was previously accused of making inappropriate content of public figures.
"X has been permitting the generation and sharing of these pictures for a long time without taking any measures and we have yet to see any intervention by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own terms of service prohibits "showing likenesses of persons in a graphic fashion".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "make or circulate deepfakes or illegal content" and clarified this included sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said platforms such as X were required to take "appropriate actions" to "reduce the danger" of users viewing illegal material on their platforms and to delete it quickly when they become aware of it.
