The online network X has provoked major outrage after people employed its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to alter pictures of females by removing their attire.
Several cases have surfaced where the system has been employed to virtually strip female subjects to make them appear in swimwear non-consensually, as well as to put them in sexually explicit contexts.
Developer Response and Regulatory Position
XAI, the organization behind Grok, remained silent to inquiries, except for an auto-reply response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office spokesperson stated that legislation is being introduced to prohibit nudification technology. Under a new law, anyone who provided such technology would "face a prison sentence and significant penalties".
"The platform has the ability to stop these types of abuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have impunity."
Oversight Body Position and Platform Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said platforms must "evaluate the danger" of people accessing illegal content on their networks, but did not confirm whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in regarding AI-generated pictures.
Grok is a no-cost AI assistant—with some paid-for functions—which answers X users' requests when they mention it in a message.
It is frequently used to provide reactions or additional background to other posters' comments, but people on X are also able to edit an posted image through its AI image editing function.
Background of Criticism and Rules
The tool has been faulted for permitting users to create pictures and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was previously accused of making inappropriate material of celebrities.
"The platform has been enabling the production and spread of these pictures for months without taking any action and we have not seen any action by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy forbids "showing images of individuals in a graphic way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or share private pictures or child sexual abuse material" and stated this covered sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said platforms such as X were mandated to take "necessary actions" to "reduce the danger" of users coming across illegal material on their services and to take down it swiftly when they become aware of it.
