The online platform X has caused widespread backlash after users utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to alter pictures of females by stripping their attire.
Multiple cases have emerged where the tool has been used to remove clothing from women to render them in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to place them in inappropriate contexts.
Developer Reaction and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the firm that created Grok, offered no comment to inquiries, other than an standard response stating "legacy media lies".
A government representative stated that new laws is being introduced to outlaw image stripping technology. Under a new criminal offence, anyone who supplied such tools would "face a jail term and heavy penalties".
"X or Grok could prevent these forms of abuse if they desired to," said a law professor, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Stance and Platform Capabilities
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "consider the potential" of people seeing unlawful material on their services, but did not specify whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a no-cost AI assistant—with some paid-for functions—which answers X users' requests when they tag it in a tweet.
It is frequently used to provide reactions or additional context to other posters' comments, but people on X are also capable of modify an uploaded picture through its AI image editing function.
Background of Controversy and Rules
The chatbot has been criticised for allowing users to generate pictures and footage with explicit content and sexually suggestive material, and it was earlier accused of generating inappropriate content of public figures.
"X has been allowing the creation and spread of these pictures for a long time without taking any action and we have not witnessed any action by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy bans "depicting likenesses of individuals in a pornographic way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "generate or share non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and stated this applied to sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said networks such as X were required to take "appropriate measures" to "lessen the danger" of users viewing unlawful content on their platforms and to remove it promptly when they become aware of it.
