The online network X has caused major anger after individuals used its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to manipulate pictures of women by removing their garments.
Numerous examples have emerged where the technology has been employed to remove clothing from female subjects to make them appear in bikinis without consent, as well as to place them in inappropriate contexts.
Developer Reaction and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the organization that created Grok, did not respond to questions, aside from an standard response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office representative stated that new laws is being brought forward to outlaw nudification tools. Under a upcoming law, anyone who supplied such tools would "be subject to a jail term and heavy penalties".
"X or Grok could prevent these forms of abuse if they desired to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "operate with a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Position and Platform Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "consider the risk" of people seeing illegal content on their networks, but did not specify whether it was at this time investigating X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some paid-for functions—which answers X users' queries when they mention it in a tweet.
It is frequently used to provide reactions or additional background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also able to alter an posted photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.
Background of Controversy and Policy
The tool has been criticised for enabling users to generate photos and videos with explicit content and sexually suggestive material, and it was previously alleged to have been involved in creating sexually explicit content of celebrities.
"X has been allowing the generation and sharing of these images for a long time without taking any measures and we have yet to see any action by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "showing likenesses of persons in a graphic manner".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "generate or distribute non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and confirmed this covered sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said platforms such as X were obligated to take "appropriate measures" to "lessen the danger" of users encountering unlawful material on their services and to remove it promptly when they learn of it.
