The social media platform X has provoked widespread backlash after users used its AI chatbot Grok to manipulate images of females by removing their clothing.
Numerous examples have been seen where the tool has been used to virtually strip women to show them in swimwear non-consensually, as well as to insert them in sexually explicit contexts.
Company Reaction and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the organization behind Grok, offered no comment to inquiries, aside from an standard response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office representative stated that new laws is being brought forward to outlaw nudification tools. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who distributed such tools would "be subject to a jail term and substantial fines".
"The platform could prevent these types of misuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."
Regulator Stance and Tool Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "evaluate the potential" of people seeing unlawful material on their services, but stopped short of confirming whether it was currently examining X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a free artificial intelligence—with some premium features—which answers X users' queries when they mention it in a post.
It is often used to offer reactions or additional background to other users' remarks, but people on X are also capable of alter an posted image through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.
History of Criticism and Rules
The chatbot has been criticised for enabling users to produce photos and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in making graphic content of celebrities.
"X has been enabling the generation and spread of these images for a long time without taking any action and we have not witnessed any intervention by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "portraying likenesses of persons in a sexually explicit fashion".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "create or circulate private pictures or child sexual abuse material" and confirmed this included sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said networks such as X were obligated to take "appropriate actions" to "minimize the risk" of users encountering illegal material on their platforms and to take down it swiftly when they learn of it.
