The online network X has caused significant outrage after people used its AI chatbot Grok to change images of females by removing their clothing.
Multiple cases have surfaced where the technology has been used to remove clothing from women to render them in swimwear without permission, as well as to place them in inappropriate scenarios.
Company Reaction and Legal Position
XAI, the company that created Grok, did not respond to questions, except for an standard response stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office spokesperson stated that legislation is being brought forward to ban image stripping technology. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who provided such tools would "be subject to a jail term and significant fines".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these types of abuse if they desired to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Position and Platform Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "assess the danger" of people accessing illegal content on their platforms, but did not confirm whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some paid-for features—which reacts to X users' queries when they mention it in a message.
It is often used to give reactions or more background to other users' remarks, but people on X are also able to alter an posted picture through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.
History of Criticism and Policy
The chatbot has been criticised for enabling users to generate images and clips with nudity and sexualised material, and it was earlier accused of making sexually explicit material of celebrities.
"X has been allowing the production and spread of these pictures for a long time without taking any steps and we have not witnessed any action by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy bans "showing images of individuals in a pornographic fashion".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or circulate non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and clarified this included sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said networks such as X were obligated to take "appropriate actions" to "minimize the danger" of users coming across illegal material on their platforms and to remove it swiftly when they are notified of it.
