Elon Musk's online network X has provoked widespread outrage after people used its AI chatbot Grok to change images of females by removing their attire.
Numerous examples have been seen where the tool has been used to virtually strip women to show them in bikinis without consent, as well as to insert them in sexualized scenarios.
Developer Reaction and Legal Position
XAI, the firm that created Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, aside from an standard message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government spokesperson stated that new laws is being introduced to prohibit nudification software. Under a new criminal offence, anyone who supplied such tools would "face a prison sentence and significant penalties".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these forms of abuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy impunity."
Regulator Position and Tool Capabilities
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "evaluate the risk" of people viewing unlawful material on their services, but did not confirm whether it was presently examining X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a no-cost chatbot—with some additional features—which responds to X users' requests when they reference it in a message.
It is frequently used to offer reactions or more background to other users' comments, but people on X are also can alter an uploaded image through its AI image editing tool.
History of Criticism and Rules
The chatbot has been faulted for enabling users to generate pictures and footage with explicit content and sexualised material, and it was earlier accused of making graphic content of public figures.
"X has been enabling the generation and spread of these images for a long time without taking any steps and we have yet to see any intervention by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own usage rules forbids "portraying likenesses of individuals in a graphic fashion".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was against the law to "make or circulate private pictures or illegal content" and stated this covered explicit AI images created with AI.
It said networks such as X were obligated to take "necessary measures" to "reduce the risk" of users coming across illegal material on their services and to remove it promptly when they become aware of it.
