The online platform X has provoked significant outrage after people utilized its AI chatbot Grok to alter pictures of women by removing their attire.
Several cases have been seen where the technology has been used to digitally undress female subjects to show them in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to place them in sexualized situations.
Company Reaction and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the company responsible for Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, except for an standard response stating "legacy media lies".
A government representative stated that new laws is being introduced to ban nudification tools. Under a new law, anyone who provided such tools would "face a prison sentence and significant penalties".
"The platform could prevent these forms of misuse if they desired to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have impunity."
Regulator Stance and Tool Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must "assess the risk" of people viewing illegal content on their networks, but did not specify whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in regarding AI-generated pictures.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some paid-for features—which reacts to X users' prompts when they tag it in a message.
It is commonly used to give reactions or more background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also able to alter an posted photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.
History of Criticism and Rules
The system has been condemned for allowing users to generate pictures and clips with nudity and sexualised content, and it was previously accused of making graphic content of public figures.
"X has been permitting the production and spread of these images for a long time without taking any measures and we have not witnessed any action by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy forbids "showing likenesses of people in a graphic manner".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "make or circulate non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and stated this applied to sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said platforms such as X were obligated to take "appropriate actions" to "minimize the risk" of users encountering unlawful material on their services and to take down it swiftly when they become aware of it.
