The online platform X has provoked widespread backlash after individuals utilized its AI chatbot Grok to change photos of females by stripping their clothing.
Several instances have been seen where the system has been employed to remove clothing from female subjects to render them in bikinis without permission, as well as to place them in inappropriate situations.
Developer Reaction and Legal Position
XAI, the firm that created Grok, remained silent to questions, except for an auto-reply message stating "legacy media lies".
A government representative stated that legislation is being introduced to prohibit nudification tools. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who provided such tools would "receive a jail term and significant fines".
"The platform is capable of halting these forms of misuse if they wanted to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with impunity."
Oversight Body Position and Platform Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said platforms must "assess the potential" of people accessing unlawful material on their services, but did not confirm whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in regarding AI-generated images.
Grok is a no-cost chatbot—with some additional features—which responds to X users' requests when they reference it in a post.
It is often used to provide reactions or further context to other posters' comments, but people on X are also able to edit an posted photo through its AI image editing tool.
Background of Controversy and Policy
The system has been condemned for permitting users to generate images and videos with nudity and sexualised content, and it was in the past accused of making sexually explicit content of celebrities.
"X has been permitting the generation and distribution of these pictures for months without taking any steps and we have not seen any challenge by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy forbids "depicting likenesses of people in a pornographic way".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "create or circulate non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and stated this included explicit AI images generated with AI.
It said networks such as X were obligated to take "appropriate measures" to "lessen the danger" of users viewing illegal material on their services and to remove it swiftly when they learn of it.
