The online network X has caused widespread backlash after users employed its AI chatbot Grok to alter images of females by removing their clothing.
Several examples have emerged where the system has been used to virtually strip women to render them in bikinis without permission, as well as to place them in inappropriate scenarios.
Company Response and Legal Position
XAI, the organization responsible for Grok, did not respond to inquiries, except for an auto-reply message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government spokesperson stated that legislation is being brought forward to outlaw nudification technology. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who distributed such tools would "be subject to a prison sentence and significant fines".
"The platform has the ability to stop these forms of misuse if they wanted to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with impunity."
Oversight Body Stance and Platform Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "consider the potential" of people viewing illegal content on their services, but did not specify whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some premium features—which reacts to X users' requests when they tag it in a message.
It is often used to offer commentary or further background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also can edit an uploaded image through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.
Background of Controversy and Policy
The system has been faulted for allowing users to generate images and clips with explicit content and sexualised material, and it was previously accused of generating sexually explicit content of public figures.
"X has been allowing the generation and spread of these images for months without taking any measures and we have yet to see any intervention by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own usage rules prohibits "showing likenesses of persons in a pornographic way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "create or share private pictures or child sexual abuse material" and clarified this covered sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said platforms such as X were mandated to take "appropriate measures" to "lessen the danger" of users coming across illegal content on their services and to delete it promptly when they become aware of it.
