The online network X has caused widespread outrage after users utilized its AI chatbot Grok to change images of women by stripping their garments.
Numerous cases have been seen where the technology has been used to virtually strip women to show them in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to put them in sexually explicit situations.
Company Reaction and Legal Stance
XAI, the organization that created Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, other than an standard response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office official stated that legislation is being brought forward to prohibit nudification technology. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who distributed such technology would "be subject to a prison sentence and significant fines".
"The platform is capable of halting these forms of misuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with a lack of consequences."
Regulator Stance and Platform Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said tech firms must "assess the danger" of people seeing unlawful material on their networks, but did not confirm whether it was currently looking into X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some premium features—which reacts to X users' queries when they tag it in a message.
It is frequently used to give reactions or further context to other users' comments, but people on X are also can alter an posted picture through its artificial intelligence picture modification tool.
Background of Criticism and Policy
The tool has been faulted for enabling users to create images and videos with explicit content and sexualised material, and it was previously alleged to have been involved in making inappropriate material of public figures.
"The platform has been permitting the production and distribution of these images for a long time without taking any steps and we have not witnessed any intervention by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy bans "showing images of people in a sexually explicit manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "make or distribute deepfakes or child sexual abuse material" and stated this included explicit AI images generated with AI.
It said platforms such as X were required to take "appropriate steps" to "reduce the risk" of users encountering illegal content on their platforms and to delete it promptly when they become aware of it.
