The social media network X has caused widespread outrage after users utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to manipulate images of females by stripping their garments.
Several cases have been seen where the technology has been used to digitally undress female subjects to render them in bikinis without permission, as well as to insert them in sexually explicit contexts.
Developer Reaction and Regulatory Position
XAI, the organization that created Grok, offered no comment to inquiries, other than an standard response stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office spokesperson stated that legislation is being introduced to outlaw image stripping technology. Under a proposed law, anyone who supplied such tools would "be subject to a prison sentence and heavy fines".
"The platform could prevent these forms of misuse if they wanted to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with a lack of consequences."
Regulator Stance and Tool Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must "consider the risk" of people accessing illegal content on their networks, but did not specify whether it was presently investigating X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a no-cost AI assistant—with some premium features—which answers X users' queries when they tag it in a message.
It is often used to give reactions or additional background to other users' remarks, but people on X are also capable of modify an uploaded picture through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.
Background of Criticism and Policy
The system has been faulted for permitting users to create images and clips with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was earlier accused of generating sexually explicit content of celebrities.
"X has been allowing the creation and spread of these images for months without taking any measures and we have not witnessed any action by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own usage rules prohibits "depicting likenesses of individuals in a pornographic fashion".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or share non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and confirmed this covered sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said networks such as X were required to take "suitable steps" to "lessen the risk" of users coming across illegal content on their services and to remove it quickly when they learn of it.
