Elon Musk's online network X has caused major outrage after users utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to change images of females by taking off their attire.
Numerous examples have surfaced where the technology has been used to remove clothing from female subjects to show them in swimwear without consent, as well as to place them in inappropriate situations.
Developer Response and Legal Stance
XAI, the organization responsible for Grok, did not respond to inquiries, aside from an automatically-generated response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office spokesperson stated that legislation is being proposed to ban image stripping software. Under a new law, anyone who supplied such technology would "face a jail term and substantial fines".
"X or Grok could prevent these forms of misuse if they desired to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with a lack of consequences."
Regulator Stance and Tool Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said tech firms must "consider the risk" of people seeing illegal content on their services, but did not confirm whether it was at this time looking into X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a free AI assistant—with some additional functions—which answers X users' queries when they reference it in a tweet.
It is often used to offer reactions or additional context to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also capable of alter an posted image through its AI image editing tool.
Background of Controversy and Rules
The tool has been criticised for allowing users to create photos and clips with nudity and sexualised content, and it was in the past accused of making inappropriate material of public figures.
"The platform has been permitting the production and spread of these pictures for months without taking any measures and we have not witnessed any intervention by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "showing likenesses of individuals in a sexually explicit manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or circulate non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and clarified this applied to sexual deepfakes generated with AI.
It said services such as X were required to take "necessary measures" to "lessen the danger" of users encountering illegal material on their platforms and to take down it quickly when they learn of it.
