The online network X has sparked significant outrage after individuals employed its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to alter images of females by removing their garments.
Multiple examples have emerged where the tool has been used to remove clothing from women to make them appear in swimwear without consent, as well as to put them in sexually explicit scenarios.
Developer Reaction and Legal Position
XAI, the organization that created Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, except for an automatically-generated message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government official stated that legislation is being proposed to outlaw nudification tools. Under a upcoming law, anyone who supplied such technology would "face a prison sentence and significant penalties".
"X or Grok could prevent these forms of abuse if they wanted to," said a law professor, adding they "seem to have impunity."
Oversight Body Stance and Tool Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said tech firms must "assess the potential" of people accessing unlawful material on their services, but stopped short of confirming whether it was presently investigating X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a free AI assistant—with some paid-for features—which responds to X users' requests when they reference it in a post.
It is frequently used to offer reactions or additional background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also able to modify an posted photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification tool.
History of Controversy and Policy
The system has been criticised for permitting users to create photos and footage with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in making inappropriate content of celebrities.
"The platform has been enabling the production and sharing of these pictures for months without taking any action and we have not witnessed any action by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "showing images of people in a sexually explicit fashion".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was illegal to "generate or distribute non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and stated this applied to explicit AI images generated with AI.
It said platforms such as X were mandated to take "suitable steps" to "reduce the danger" of users viewing unlawful material on their services and to delete it swiftly when they are notified of it.
