The online network X has caused widespread anger after individuals utilized its AI chatbot Grok to alter images of women by removing their clothing.
Multiple cases have been seen where the system has been used to virtually strip female subjects to show them in bikinis without permission, as well as to insert them in sexualized scenarios.
Company Response and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the company responsible for Grok, offered no comment to inquiries, other than an standard response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government representative stated that legislation is being brought forward to prohibit nudification tools. Under a upcoming law, anyone who provided such tools would "receive a jail term and heavy penalties".
"The platform could prevent these types of misuse if they chose to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have impunity."
Oversight Body Stance and Tool Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said tech firms must "assess the risk" of people viewing unlawful material on their services, but did not specify whether it was currently examining X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some additional functions—which answers X users' queries when they reference it in a post.
It is frequently used to give commentary or further context to other posters' comments, but people on X are also capable of modify an posted image through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.
Background of Criticism and Policy
The system has been condemned for enabling users to generate photos and footage with explicit content and sexually suggestive content, and it was earlier alleged to have been involved in making sexually explicit material of celebrities.
"X has been allowing the production and spread of these images for months without taking any measures and we have not seen any action by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own usage rules forbids "depicting likenesses of individuals in a pornographic way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "make or share private pictures or child sexual abuse material" and stated this covered sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said services such as X were obligated to take "necessary steps" to "lessen the risk" of users viewing illegal material on their services and to delete it quickly when they are notified of it.
