The online platform X has caused major outrage after individuals used its AI chatbot Grok to change images of females by removing their attire.
Numerous instances have emerged where the system has been used to digitally undress female subjects to render them in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to place them in sexually explicit contexts.
Developer Response and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the company responsible for Grok, offered no comment to inquiries, aside from an auto-reply message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government representative stated that legislation is being brought forward to ban nudification software. Under a new law, anyone who distributed such tools would "receive a prison sentence and significant penalties".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these forms of misuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."
Regulator Position and Tool Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said platforms must "evaluate the potential" of people viewing unlawful material on their platforms, but stopped short of confirming whether it was presently investigating X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some premium functions—which answers X users' queries when they reference it in a post.
It is often used to offer commentary or additional background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also capable of alter an posted image through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.
History of Criticism and Policy
The system has been faulted for permitting users to generate images and footage with explicit content and sexually suggestive content, and it was previously alleged to have been involved in making graphic material of celebrities.
"X has been allowing the creation and distribution of these images for a long time without taking any action and we have yet to see any intervention by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "portraying images of people in a sexually explicit way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was against the law to "create or share deepfakes or child sexual abuse material" and confirmed this included explicit AI images generated with AI.
It said networks such as X were required to take "suitable steps" to "reduce the danger" of users viewing illegal content on their platforms and to take down it swiftly when they are notified of it.
