The social media platform X has caused significant outrage after people employed its AI chatbot Grok to change images of females by taking off their attire.
Several examples have been seen where the system has been employed to remove clothing from female subjects to show them in bikinis without consent, as well as to place them in inappropriate scenarios.
Company Response and Regulatory Position
XAI, the organization behind Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, other than an automatically-generated message stating "legacy media lies".
A government spokesperson stated that new laws is being introduced to prohibit image stripping software. Under a new criminal offence, anyone who supplied such tools would "be subject to a prison sentence and substantial penalties".
"The platform has the ability to stop these types of abuse if they chose to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."
Regulator Stance and Tool Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "evaluate the risk" of people seeing unlawful material on their services, but did not specify whether it was presently examining X or Grok in concerning AI-generated images.
Grok is a free artificial intelligence—with some paid-for functions—which responds to X users' queries when they tag it in a tweet.
It is frequently used to offer reactions or more context to other users' remarks, but people on X are also can modify an uploaded image through its AI image editing function.
History of Controversy and Rules
The system has been criticised for allowing users to create photos and videos with nudity and sexualised content, and it was previously accused of making graphic content of public figures.
"The platform has been permitting the production and distribution of these images for months without taking any steps and we have not witnessed any challenge by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy bans "showing images of people in a sexually explicit way".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or circulate non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and confirmed this covered sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said services such as X were required to take "appropriate measures" to "lessen the danger" of users coming across illegal material on their platforms and to take down it swiftly when they become aware of it.
