The online network X has caused widespread backlash after individuals employed its AI chatbot Grok to alter pictures of females by stripping their attire.
Numerous instances have been seen where the tool has been used to digitally undress women to show them in swimwear without permission, as well as to insert them in inappropriate situations.
Company Response and Legal Stance
XAI, the organization behind Grok, remained silent to questions, other than an automatically-generated message stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office official stated that new laws is being brought forward to prohibit nudification technology. Under a proposed law, anyone who provided such technology would "be subject to a prison sentence and heavy penalties".
"X or Grok could prevent these types of abuse if they chose to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."
Regulator Stance and Tool Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "assess the potential" of people seeing unlawful material on their services, but did not specify whether it was at this time looking into X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a no-cost AI assistant—with some additional functions—which responds to X users' requests when they mention it in a tweet.
It is frequently used to offer commentary or additional background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also can modify an posted picture through its AI image editing tool.
History of Controversy and Policy
The system has been faulted for permitting users to generate pictures and videos with nudity and sexualised material, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in creating inappropriate content of celebrities.
"X has been permitting the creation and distribution of these images for months without taking any steps and we have not seen any intervention by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "showing images of people in a graphic manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or circulate deepfakes or child sexual abuse material" and clarified this included sexual deepfakes generated with AI.
It said platforms such as X were obligated to take "appropriate measures" to "lessen the danger" of users coming across unlawful content on their platforms and to remove it swiftly when they become aware of it.
