The online network X has provoked significant backlash after users utilized its AI chatbot Grok to manipulate images of women by removing their garments.
Multiple instances have emerged where the tool has been used to virtually strip women to make them appear in bikinis without permission, as well as to put them in inappropriate scenarios.
Company Reaction and Regulatory Position
XAI, the company behind Grok, did not respond to inquiries, aside from an automatically-generated message stating "legacy media lies".
A government official stated that new laws is being brought forward to outlaw image stripping software. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who distributed such technology would "receive a prison sentence and substantial fines".
"X or Grok is capable of halting these forms of abuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "operate with impunity."
Oversight Body Position and Platform Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "consider the danger" of people viewing illegal content on their services, but did not specify whether it was currently investigating X or Grok in concerning artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a free AI assistant—with some premium functions—which answers X users' prompts when they mention it in a message.
It is frequently used to provide commentary or more background to other posters' comments, but people on X are also can alter an posted picture through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.
History of Controversy and Policy
The system has been faulted for permitting users to produce photos and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was in the past accused of creating graphic content of public figures.
"The platform has been enabling the production and distribution of these images for months without taking any action and we have not seen any challenge by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy bans "showing images of individuals in a sexually explicit way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was against the law to "make or distribute private pictures or child sexual abuse material" and clarified this covered explicit AI images made with AI.
It said services such as X were required to take "necessary measures" to "minimize the danger" of users encountering illegal material on their platforms and to remove it swiftly when they learn of it.
