The online platform X has caused major anger after users utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to change pictures of females by taking off their garments.
Multiple cases have surfaced where the tool has been used to digitally undress female subjects to show them in bikinis without consent, as well as to insert them in sexually explicit situations.
Developer Response and Legal Position
XAI, the organization responsible for Grok, offered no comment to inquiries, other than an auto-reply message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government spokesperson stated that legislation is being introduced to outlaw image stripping tools. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who distributed such tools would "receive a jail term and heavy fines".
"The platform could prevent these types of abuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "seem to have impunity."
Oversight Body Stance and Tool Capabilities
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "consider the potential" of people seeing unlawful material on their services, but did not confirm whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a free AI assistant—with some additional features—which responds to X users' prompts when they tag it in a post.
It is often used to offer reactions or further context to other posters' comments, but people on X are also can edit an uploaded picture through its AI image editing tool.
History of Criticism and Rules
The tool has been faulted for enabling users to create photos and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was earlier alleged to have been involved in generating graphic material of celebrities.
"X has been permitting the creation and distribution 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 acceptable use policy forbids "depicting likenesses of individuals in a pornographic manner".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "create or circulate deepfakes or illegal content" and stated this included explicit AI images generated with AI.
It said networks such as X were required to take "necessary measures" to "lessen the danger" of users encountering unlawful material on their platforms and to take down it quickly when they are notified of it.
