The online platform X has provoked major anger after people utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to change images of females by removing their attire.
Multiple cases have emerged where the tool has been used to remove clothing from female subjects to show them in swimwear without consent, as well as to insert them in sexually explicit contexts.
Developer Response and Legal Position
XAI, the company behind Grok, remained silent to requests for comment, aside from an automatically-generated message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office spokesperson stated that legislation is being introduced to prohibit image stripping technology. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who distributed such technology would "receive a prison sentence and heavy fines".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these types of misuse if they desired to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "operate with a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Stance and Platform Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must "assess the potential" of people accessing illegal content on their services, but did not specify whether it was presently examining X or Grok in concerning artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a no-cost AI assistant—with some premium features—which responds to X users' requests when they tag it in a tweet.
It is commonly used to offer reactions or more background to other users' comments, but people on X are also able to alter an posted photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification function.
History of Controversy and Rules
The tool has been faulted for enabling users to generate pictures and clips with nudity and sexualised material, and it was earlier accused of creating graphic content of public figures.
"X has been permitting the creation and distribution of these images for months without taking any action and we have not seen any challenge by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy bans "portraying images of individuals in a sexually explicit manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "create or distribute non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and stated this included sexual deepfakes generated with AI.
It said platforms such as X were mandated to take "suitable measures" to "minimize the danger" of users viewing illegal material on their platforms and to take down it promptly when they become aware of it.
