The online network X has provoked widespread anger after users employed its AI chatbot Grok to manipulate pictures of women by stripping their clothing.
Numerous instances have been seen where the tool has been employed to virtually strip female subjects to show them in swimwear without consent, as well as to put them in sexually explicit scenarios.
Developer Reaction and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the organization that created Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, aside from an auto-reply message stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office official stated that new laws is being proposed to outlaw image stripping software. Under a upcoming law, anyone who distributed such technology would "face a jail term and heavy fines".
"X or Grok could prevent these forms of abuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Stance and Tool Capabilities
The communications watchdog Ofcom said tech firms must "assess the danger" of people viewing illegal content on their networks, but did not confirm whether it was at this time looking into X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some premium functions—which reacts to X users' queries when they reference it in a post.
It is commonly used to offer commentary or more background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also capable of modify an uploaded picture through its artificial intelligence picture modification function.
History of Criticism and Policy
The chatbot has been faulted for permitting users to produce photos and clips with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was previously accused of creating sexually explicit material of public figures.
"X has been allowing the production and spread of these images for months without taking any measures and we have not witnessed any intervention by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own terms of service prohibits "showing images of people in a sexually explicit manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "make or share deepfakes or child sexual abuse material" and confirmed this included sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said services such as X were required to take "suitable steps" to "minimize the danger" of users viewing unlawful material on their services and to remove it promptly when they become aware of it.
