The online platform X has caused major outrage after users used its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to manipulate images of women by removing their attire.
Multiple instances have been seen where the system has been used to digitally undress female subjects to make them appear in swimwear without consent, as well as to put them in sexually explicit situations.
Company Response and Legal Stance
XAI, the firm responsible for Grok, offered no comment to questions, other than an automatically-generated message stating "legacy media lies".
A government spokesperson stated that new laws is being introduced to ban nudification technology. Under a upcoming law, anyone who provided such tools would "be subject to a jail term and substantial fines".
"X or Grok could prevent these types of abuse if they wanted to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Stance and Tool Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must "evaluate the risk" of people viewing illegal content on their networks, but did not specify whether it was presently looking into X or Grok in regarding AI-generated images.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some paid-for functions—which responds to X users' queries when they mention it in a message.
It is frequently used to give reactions or more context to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also can modify an posted image through its AI image editing function.
History of Criticism and Rules
The tool has been condemned for allowing users to create photos and videos with explicit content and sexually suggestive material, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in making sexually explicit material of public figures.
"X has been permitting the generation and distribution of these images for months without taking any action and we have not seen any intervention by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own terms of service bans "portraying images of individuals in a graphic fashion".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "generate or circulate private pictures or child sexual abuse material" and confirmed this covered sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said platforms such as X were mandated to take "necessary actions" to "lessen the danger" of users viewing unlawful content on their services and to delete it promptly when they are notified of it.
