The online network X has provoked widespread anger after people utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to change photos of women by removing their garments.
Numerous examples have been seen where the tool has been used to virtually strip female subjects to render them in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to place them in sexualized scenarios.
Company Reaction and Legal Stance
XAI, the company behind Grok, remained silent to requests for comment, other than an standard response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office official stated that new laws is being proposed to prohibit nudification tools. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who provided such technology would "face a jail term and substantial penalties".
"X or Grok could prevent these forms of misuse if they desired to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "operate with impunity."
Oversight Body Stance and Tool Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must "evaluate the risk" of people seeing unlawful material on their platforms, but did not specify whether it was currently investigating X or Grok in concerning AI-generated images.
Grok is a free artificial intelligence—with some premium features—which responds to X users' queries when they mention it in a post.
It is commonly used to offer commentary or more context to other users' comments, but people on X are also capable of alter an uploaded photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification tool.
History of Controversy and Policy
The system has been faulted for enabling users to create photos and videos with nudity and sexualised material, and it was in the past accused of creating graphic content of public figures.
"X has been allowing the creation and spread of these pictures for months without taking any measures and we have yet to see any action by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own usage rules forbids "depicting images of persons in a sexually explicit manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was illegal to "generate or circulate deepfakes or illegal content" and clarified this included sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said networks such as X were mandated to take "necessary actions" to "reduce the danger" of users coming across illegal material on their services and to remove it quickly when they are notified of it.
