The online network X has sparked major anger after users utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to change pictures of women by taking off their garments.
Multiple cases have been seen where the system has been employed to remove clothing from women to show them in swimwear non-consensually, as well as to place them in sexualized scenarios.
Developer Response and Legal Position
XAI, the firm behind Grok, remained silent to inquiries, except for an standard response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office spokesperson stated that legislation is being brought forward to prohibit image stripping technology. Under a new law, anyone who distributed such tools would "receive a jail term and substantial fines".
"X or Grok is capable of halting these forms of abuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Regulator Stance and Tool Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "consider the risk" of people seeing unlawful material on their platforms, but did not confirm whether it was currently examining X or Grok in relation to AI-generated images.
Grok is a no-cost AI assistant—with some paid-for functions—which responds to X users' queries when they tag it in a tweet.
It is often used to offer commentary or further background to other posters' comments, but people on X are also can alter an posted image through its AI image editing feature.
History of Controversy and Rules
The tool has been faulted for allowing users to generate photos and videos with explicit content and sexualised material, and it was previously alleged to have been involved in generating graphic content of public figures.
"X has been enabling the generation and spread of these images for a long time without taking any action and we have yet to see any challenge by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own usage rules bans "depicting images of individuals in a pornographic manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was against the law to "generate or distribute non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and stated this applied to explicit AI images made with AI.
It said platforms such as X were obligated to take "suitable steps" to "minimize the risk" of users viewing unlawful material on their platforms and to take down it swiftly when they become aware of it.
