The online network X has sparked widespread outrage after people employed its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to manipulate images of females by stripping their attire.
Multiple examples have been seen where the system has been employed to virtually strip female subjects to make them appear in bikinis without consent, as well as to insert them in sexually explicit situations.
Developer Reaction and Regulatory Position
XAI, the firm behind Grok, offered no comment to inquiries, except for an auto-reply message stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office official stated that legislation is being brought forward to outlaw nudification software. Under a upcoming law, anyone who provided such technology would "receive a prison sentence and significant fines".
"X or Grok could prevent these types of abuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with impunity."
Regulator Position and Tool Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "assess the potential" of people seeing illegal content on their platforms, but did not confirm whether it was presently looking into X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a free AI assistant—with some paid-for features—which reacts to X users' requests when they tag it in a tweet.
It is often used to offer reactions or additional background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also able to alter an posted picture through its artificial intelligence picture modification tool.
Background of Criticism and Policy
The system has been condemned for allowing users to create photos and videos with nudity and sexualised material, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in creating inappropriate material of celebrities.
"X has been permitting the generation and spread of these images for months without taking any steps and we have yet to see any action by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own usage rules forbids "portraying likenesses of persons in a graphic fashion".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "make or share non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and stated this included sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said platforms such as X were mandated to take "appropriate actions" to "reduce the danger" of users viewing illegal material on their services and to take down it swiftly when they become aware of it.
