The social media network X has caused major backlash after individuals used its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to change pictures of females by removing their attire.
Numerous cases have surfaced where the technology has been used to digitally undress women to make them appear in swimwear without consent, as well as to put them in sexually explicit scenarios.
Developer Response and Legal Stance
XAI, the company that created Grok, offered no comment to inquiries, aside from an auto-reply response stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office official stated that legislation is being introduced to outlaw image stripping software. Under a new criminal offence, anyone who supplied such technology would "receive a prison sentence and significant penalties".
"The platform could prevent these forms of misuse if they wanted to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy impunity."
Oversight Body Position and Platform Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must "consider the potential" of people viewing unlawful material on their networks, but did not specify whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a free artificial intelligence—with some paid-for features—which responds to X users' queries when they mention it in a tweet.
It is commonly used to provide reactions or additional context to other users' remarks, but people on X are also able to alter an uploaded photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification tool.
History of Criticism and Rules
The tool has been condemned for enabling users to produce photos and clips with explicit content and sexualised material, and it was previously alleged to have been involved in making sexually explicit material of public figures.
"X has been permitting the creation and spread of these images for months without taking any measures and we have yet to see any action by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy forbids "depicting likenesses of people in a graphic manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "make or circulate private pictures or illegal content" and clarified this included sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said platforms such as X were mandated to take "suitable measures" to "minimize the danger" of users coming across illegal content on their platforms and to remove it promptly when they become aware of it.
