The social media platform X has caused widespread backlash after users utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to alter images of females by taking off their attire.
Numerous instances have surfaced where the tool has been employed to virtually strip female subjects to show them in swimwear without consent, as well as to insert them in inappropriate scenarios.
Company Reaction and Legal Position
XAI, the organization behind Grok, did not respond to questions, except for an auto-reply message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office spokesperson stated that new laws is being proposed to prohibit image stripping software. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who supplied such technology would "face a prison sentence and heavy fines".
"X or Grok is capable of halting these types of misuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "appear to enjoy impunity."
Oversight Body Position and Platform Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "evaluate the danger" of people viewing illegal content on their platforms, but stopped short of confirming whether it was at this time investigating X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a free AI assistant—with some additional functions—which responds to X users' requests when they tag it in a message.
It is frequently used to offer commentary or additional background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also capable of modify an posted image through its artificial intelligence picture modification tool.
Background of Controversy and Policy
The chatbot has been criticised for enabling users to create photos and footage with explicit content and sexually suggestive content, and it was earlier alleged to have been involved in creating graphic content of celebrities.
"X has been permitting the generation and sharing of these images for a long time without taking any action and we have not witnessed any action by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy bans "portraying images of persons in a graphic fashion".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or share private pictures or child sexual abuse material" and clarified this included sexual deepfakes generated with AI.
It said services such as X were mandated to take "suitable actions" to "lessen the danger" of users coming across unlawful material on their platforms and to take down it quickly when they learn of it.
