The social media network X has sparked significant backlash after users utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to alter images of females by stripping their clothing.
Numerous instances have surfaced where the tool has been used to virtually strip female subjects to make them appear in swimwear non-consensually, as well as to put them in sexualized contexts.
Developer Response and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the company responsible for Grok, offered no comment to questions, aside from an standard message stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office representative stated that legislation is being brought forward to prohibit nudification tools. Under a new law, anyone who provided such technology would "be subject to a prison sentence and heavy penalties".
"The platform has the ability to stop these forms of abuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have impunity."
Regulator Stance and Platform Capabilities
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "evaluate the danger" of people accessing unlawful material on their platforms, but stopped short of confirming whether it was currently investigating X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some additional features—which answers X users' queries when they reference it in a post.
It is often used to offer commentary 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 tool.
History of Criticism and Rules
The system has been faulted for enabling users to produce photos and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was previously alleged to have been involved in making graphic content of public figures.
"The platform has been allowing the generation and sharing of these images for a long time without taking any steps and we have yet to see any action by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy forbids "portraying images of individuals in a graphic way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "create or circulate private pictures or illegal content" and clarified this included sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said services such as X were required to take "suitable measures" to "lessen the danger" of users encountering illegal material on their platforms and to take down it quickly when they learn of it.
