The social media platform X has provoked significant anger after users employed its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to alter images of women by stripping their attire.
Several instances have been seen where the system has been employed to remove clothing from female subjects to render them in swimwear without consent, as well as to insert them in sexualized scenarios.
Company Response and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the organization responsible for Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, except for an auto-reply message stating "legacy media lies".
A government representative stated that new laws is being introduced to outlaw image stripping tools. Under a new criminal offence, anyone who provided such technology would "be subject to a prison sentence and substantial penalties".
"X or Grok is capable of halting these types of misuse if they chose to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "operate with a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Position and Platform Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "consider the risk" of people accessing unlawful material on their platforms, but did not confirm whether it was presently looking into X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a no-cost AI assistant—with some additional functions—which responds to X users' queries when they mention it in a post.
It is commonly used to provide commentary or additional background to other users' remarks, but people on X are also able to alter an uploaded photo through its AI image editing tool.
Background of Criticism and Rules
The system has been criticised for permitting users to generate pictures and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was in the past accused of making graphic material of celebrities.
"X has been enabling the generation and spread of these images for months without taking any measures and we have yet to see any challenge by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "depicting images of persons in a graphic way".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or distribute non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and confirmed this applied to sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said platforms such as X were obligated to take "appropriate actions" to "minimize the danger" of users viewing illegal content on their platforms and to remove it quickly when they learn of it.
