The online network X has provoked major backlash after people employed its AI chatbot Grok to manipulate photos of women by removing their clothing.
Numerous examples have emerged where the tool has been used to digitally undress female subjects to make them appear in bikinis without permission, as well as to put them in sexually explicit scenarios.
Company Reaction and Legal Position
XAI, the firm behind Grok, did not respond to questions, other than an auto-reply response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office spokesperson stated that new laws is being brought forward to prohibit image stripping tools. Under a proposed law, anyone who distributed such technology would "receive a jail term and significant penalties".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these types of abuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with a lack of consequences."
Regulator Position and Platform Capabilities
The communications watchdog Ofcom said platforms must "consider the potential" of people viewing illegal content on their services, but did not specify whether it was presently examining X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some additional features—which answers X users' prompts when they mention it in a tweet.
It is frequently used to provide commentary or further context to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also able to edit an posted picture through its AI image editing feature.
History of Controversy and Rules
The tool has been criticised for enabling users to create images and clips with explicit content and sexually suggestive material, and it was in the past accused of making sexually explicit content of public figures.
"X has been permitting the production and spread of these pictures for months without taking any steps and we have not seen any intervention by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own usage rules forbids "showing images of persons in a graphic fashion".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or circulate non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and stated this included explicit AI images generated with AI.
It said networks such as X were obligated to take "necessary measures" to "reduce the risk" of users encountering illegal material on their services and to take down it swiftly when they are notified of it.
