The online network X has caused major outrage after individuals used its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to manipulate images of women by removing their attire.
Multiple cases have emerged where the system has been employed to remove clothing from female subjects to show them in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to insert them in sexualized contexts.
Developer Response and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the organization that created Grok, offered no comment to questions, aside from an auto-reply response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government representative stated that legislation is being introduced to ban image stripping software. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who supplied such technology would "be subject to a prison sentence and substantial fines".
"The platform is capable of halting these forms of abuse if they desired to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Stance and Platform Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said tech firms must "assess the risk" of people viewing illegal content on their networks, but did not confirm whether it was presently examining X or Grok in concerning AI-generated images.
Grok is a no-cost chatbot—with some premium features—which responds to X users' queries when they tag it in a post.
It is often used to give commentary or more context to other users' comments, but people on X are also can alter an posted image through its artificial intelligence picture modification function.
Background of Controversy and Rules
The tool has been condemned for allowing users to produce photos and videos with nudity and sexualised material, and it was in the past accused of creating inappropriate content of public figures.
"The platform has been permitting the generation and distribution of these pictures for a long time without taking any steps and we have yet to see any intervention by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own usage rules prohibits "showing likenesses of people in a pornographic way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or circulate deepfakes or child sexual abuse material" and stated this included sexual deepfakes generated with AI.
It said networks such as X were obligated to take "necessary steps" to "reduce the risk" of users encountering unlawful content on their platforms and to take down it promptly when they learn of it.
