The online platform X has sparked major outrage after people utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to alter images of women by stripping their attire.
Numerous instances have emerged where the technology has been used to virtually strip women to make them appear in bikinis without permission, as well as to place them in inappropriate scenarios.
Company Reaction and Legal Stance
XAI, the organization behind Grok, offered no comment to questions, other than an standard response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office official stated that legislation is being brought forward to ban image stripping tools. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who provided such tools would "face a prison sentence and significant fines".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these forms of misuse if they chose to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "operate with impunity."
Regulator Stance and Tool Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "evaluate the risk" of people seeing unlawful material on their services, but did not specify whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some additional features—which reacts to X users' queries when they mention it in a tweet.
It is frequently used to offer reactions or more background to other posters' comments, but people on X are also able to alter an posted photo through its AI image editing tool.
Background of Controversy and Rules
The system has been criticised for allowing users to produce pictures and videos with explicit content and sexually suggestive material, and it was in the past accused of generating inappropriate material of public figures.
"The platform has been allowing the generation and spread of these images for months without taking any action and we have not witnessed any action by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own usage rules prohibits "depicting likenesses of persons in a pornographic fashion".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "make or distribute private pictures or illegal content" and stated this applied to sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said platforms such as X were obligated to take "suitable actions" to "minimize the danger" of users viewing unlawful content on their services and to remove it promptly when they learn of it.
