The online platform X has sparked major outrage after people employed its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to manipulate images of females by removing their clothing.
Numerous instances have emerged where the technology has been used to digitally undress female subjects to show them in bikinis without permission, as well as to put them in inappropriate situations.
Company Reaction and Legal Position
XAI, the company that created Grok, offered no comment to inquiries, aside from an auto-reply response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office representative stated that legislation is being introduced to prohibit nudification technology. Under a new criminal offence, anyone who provided such tools would "receive a jail term and substantial penalties".
"X or Grok is capable of halting these forms of abuse if they chose to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."
Regulator Stance and Platform Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "consider the risk" of people viewing unlawful material on their networks, but stopped short of confirming whether it was currently looking into X or Grok in concerning AI-generated pictures.
Grok is a free artificial intelligence—with some paid-for features—which responds to X users' requests when they reference it in a post.
It is commonly used to give reactions or additional background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also can alter an posted photo through its AI image editing feature.
Background of Criticism and Policy
The tool has been faulted for enabling users to generate images and footage with nudity and sexualised material, and it was previously accused of making inappropriate content of public figures.
"The platform has been permitting the creation and spread of these pictures for a long time without taking any measures and we have not seen any intervention by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "showing likenesses of persons in a graphic way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or circulate deepfakes or illegal content" and stated this covered sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said networks such as X were obligated to take "appropriate actions" to "reduce the danger" of users encountering illegal content on their services and to remove it promptly when they are notified of it.
