The online network X has caused major backlash after people utilized its AI chatbot Grok to change photos of women by stripping their clothing.
Several examples have surfaced where the tool has been used to virtually strip female subjects to show them in swimwear without consent, as well as to place them in sexually explicit scenarios.
Company Response and Legal Position
XAI, the organization behind Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, except for an standard response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office official stated that legislation is being brought forward to ban nudification software. Under a upcoming law, anyone who distributed such technology would "be subject to a prison sentence and significant fines".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these types of misuse if they desired to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "operate with impunity."
Regulator Stance and Platform Capabilities
The communications watchdog Ofcom said platforms must "assess the risk" of people accessing illegal content on their services, but did not specify whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in concerning AI-generated images.
Grok is a free AI assistant—with some premium features—which responds to X users' queries when they reference it in a post.
It is frequently used to offer reactions or more background to other users' remarks, but people on X are also can modify an uploaded photo through its AI image editing function.
Background of Criticism and Rules
The tool has been criticised for allowing users to produce pictures and footage with nudity and sexualised content, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in creating graphic material of public figures.
"X has been permitting the generation and spread of these images for a long time without taking any measures and we have yet to see any intervention by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own usage rules prohibits "portraying images of people in a sexually explicit way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "generate or distribute non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and clarified this applied to explicit AI images generated with AI.
It said platforms such as X were required to take "suitable actions" to "minimize the danger" of users encountering unlawful material on their platforms and to take down it quickly when they become aware of it.
