Elon Musk's online platform X has sparked significant backlash after users utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to change images of females by removing their clothing.
Several instances have surfaced where the technology has been used to digitally undress female subjects to make them appear in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to insert them in sexualized situations.
Developer Response and Legal Position
XAI, the firm that created Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, other than an standard response stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office official stated that legislation is being introduced to prohibit nudification technology. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who provided such technology would "face a jail term and substantial penalties".
"X or Grok could prevent these types of abuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with impunity."
Oversight Body Position and Tool Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must "consider the risk" of people accessing illegal content on their networks, but did not specify whether it was at this time investigating X or Grok in relation to AI-generated images.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some paid-for features—which answers X users' requests when they tag it in a tweet.
It is commonly used to offer reactions or more background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also capable of alter an uploaded photo through its AI image editing feature.
History of Criticism and Policy
The system has been faulted for allowing users to create photos and footage with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was previously alleged to have been involved in creating graphic material of celebrities.
"X has been enabling the generation and sharing of these pictures for months without taking any steps and we have yet to see any challenge by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own terms of service prohibits "depicting images of individuals in a graphic fashion".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "generate or circulate non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and stated this included explicit AI images made with AI.
It said services such as X were required to take "suitable actions" to "minimize the risk" of users viewing unlawful material on their platforms and to delete it promptly when they learn of it.
