The online network X has caused significant backlash after users utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to manipulate images of females by removing their garments.
Several examples have surfaced where the technology has been employed to virtually strip women to render them in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to insert them in inappropriate contexts.
Company Response and Legal Position
XAI, the firm that created Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, aside from an standard message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office official stated that new laws is being proposed to ban image stripping software. Under a new criminal offence, anyone who provided such tools would "receive a prison sentence and significant fines".
"The platform has the ability to stop these types of misuse if they desired to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."
Regulator Position and Platform Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "assess the potential" of people viewing illegal content on their networks, but did not confirm whether it was at this time looking into X or Grok in concerning artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a free artificial intelligence—with some premium features—which answers X users' queries when they reference it in a post.
It is frequently used to offer reactions or more background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also capable of modify an uploaded photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification function.
History of Controversy and Rules
The tool has been faulted for permitting users to produce photos and clips with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was earlier alleged to have been involved in making graphic content of celebrities.
"X has been permitting the generation and distribution of these images for a long time without taking any action and we have not seen any intervention by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy bans "portraying likenesses of persons in a pornographic manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was against the law to "generate or circulate non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and confirmed this covered sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said services such as X were mandated to take "suitable measures" to "minimize the danger" of users coming across illegal content on their services and to delete it promptly when they are notified of it.
