The online network X has sparked significant outrage after individuals utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to change photos of women by removing their garments.
Multiple instances have emerged where the technology has been used to digitally undress female subjects to show them in bikinis without consent, as well as to insert them in inappropriate scenarios.
Developer Response and Regulatory Position
XAI, the firm that created Grok, did not respond to questions, aside from an auto-reply message stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office spokesperson stated that legislation is being brought forward to ban nudification technology. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who distributed such technology would "be subject to a jail term and significant penalties".
"X or Grok could prevent these forms of misuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."
Regulator Position and Platform Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must "assess the risk" of people accessing unlawful material on their services, but did not confirm whether it was presently investigating X or Grok in concerning artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some premium functions—which responds to X users' queries when they tag it in a tweet.
It is frequently used to give commentary or more background to other users' comments, but people on X are also can alter an uploaded photo through its AI image editing function.
Background of Controversy and Policy
The system has been criticised for enabling users to produce images and footage with explicit content and sexualised material, and it was previously accused of making sexually explicit content of public figures.
"X has been permitting the creation and spread of these pictures for months without taking any measures and we have not seen any intervention by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "portraying likenesses of individuals in a pornographic way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or distribute non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and confirmed this included sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said networks such as X were mandated to take "necessary actions" to "minimize the danger" of users encountering unlawful material on their platforms and to delete it quickly when they become aware of it.
