The online network X has caused significant backlash after people used its AI chatbot Grok to alter images of women by removing their clothing.
Multiple instances have emerged where the technology has been employed to remove clothing from female subjects to render them in bikinis without permission, as well as to place them in sexualized situations.
Developer Response and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the firm that created Grok, offered no comment to inquiries, other than an auto-reply response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office official stated that new laws is being brought forward to outlaw nudification technology. Under a proposed law, anyone who provided such technology would "receive a jail term and significant penalties".
"The platform has the ability to stop these forms of misuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Position and Platform Capabilities
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "assess the danger" of people accessing illegal content on their networks, but did not confirm whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in concerning AI-generated images.
Grok is a no-cost chatbot—with some premium features—which answers X users' queries when they mention it in a post.
It is frequently used to offer commentary or further background to other posters' comments, but people on X are also able to alter an uploaded picture through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.
History of Controversy and Rules
The tool has been criticised for allowing users to create photos and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in making graphic material of public figures.
"X has been allowing the generation and spread of these pictures for a long time without taking any steps and we have not witnessed any intervention by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own usage rules forbids "portraying images of people in a pornographic way".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "make or distribute non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and clarified this covered explicit AI images made with AI.
It said networks such as X were mandated to take "necessary measures" to "lessen the danger" of users viewing illegal material on their platforms and to remove it quickly when they become aware of it.
