The online network X has provoked widespread anger after users employed its AI chatbot Grok to alter pictures of females by stripping their attire.
Several cases have been seen where the system has been used to digitally undress female subjects to show them in bikinis without permission, as well as to place them in sexualized scenarios.
Developer Reaction and Legal Stance
XAI, the company responsible for Grok, remained silent to requests for comment, other than an standard message stating "legacy media lies".
A government spokesperson stated that new laws is being proposed to outlaw nudification technology. Under a new law, anyone who supplied such tools would "be subject to a prison sentence and significant penalties".
"The platform could prevent these types of misuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Stance and Platform Capabilities
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "evaluate the potential" of people viewing unlawful material on their networks, but did not confirm whether it was presently investigating X or Grok in regarding AI-generated images.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some paid-for features—which responds to X users' queries when they mention it in a message.
It is often used to give reactions or additional background to other users' remarks, but people on X are also able to edit an uploaded photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification function.
History of Criticism and Rules
The system has been faulted for enabling users to produce images and videos with explicit content and sexually suggestive content, and it was earlier alleged to have been involved in making graphic content of public figures.
"The platform has been permitting the creation and spread of these images for a long time without taking any steps and we have not witnessed any action by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy bans "showing images of individuals in a sexually explicit way".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "make or share deepfakes or illegal content" and confirmed this included sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said platforms such as X were mandated to take "suitable measures" to "lessen the danger" of users viewing illegal content on their services and to delete it promptly when they are notified of it.
