The social media platform X has caused widespread backlash after individuals used its AI chatbot Grok to change photos of women by removing their attire.
Multiple instances have been seen where the system has been used to remove clothing from female subjects to render them in bikinis without permission, as well as to insert them in inappropriate situations.
Developer Response and Regulatory Position
XAI, the company responsible for Grok, did not respond to questions, except for an auto-reply response stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office spokesperson stated that legislation is being brought forward to ban image stripping software. Under a new criminal offence, anyone who distributed such technology would "be subject to a prison sentence and significant penalties".
"The platform could prevent these forms of misuse if they desired to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Regulator Position and Platform Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said platforms must "evaluate the danger" of people seeing unlawful material on their platforms, but did not specify whether it was currently investigating X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a no-cost AI assistant—with some premium functions—which answers X users' queries when they reference it in a tweet.
It is frequently used to offer reactions or additional context to other users' comments, but people on X are also can edit an posted image through its AI image editing tool.
History of Controversy and Rules
The tool has been criticised for allowing users to produce images and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was earlier alleged to have been involved in creating graphic content of public figures.
"X has been permitting the production and distribution of these images for months without taking any action and we have not seen any action by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own terms of service forbids "depicting images of individuals in a sexually explicit way".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or circulate non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and clarified this covered sexual deepfakes generated with AI.
It said networks such as X were required to take "appropriate actions" to "reduce the risk" of users viewing unlawful content on their platforms and to delete it promptly when they learn of it.
