The European Commission has commenced a formal inquiry into X, the social media platform affiliated with Elon Musk's X Corp, concerning the image-editing capabilities of its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok. The investigation arises amid serious complaints about the misuse of this AI tool to create explicit imagery of real individuals without their consent, highlighting potential violations of European digital platform regulations.
The catalyst for this probe, as reported by a reputable German news source, relates to incidents where Grok's image-editing feature was utilized to generate sexually explicit images depicting real women and underage girls. These creations were made without permission, prompting alarm about the ethical and legal implications of AI-facilitated content manipulation.
Grok, the AI chatbot developed by X, underwent an upgrade last summer that introduced a paid option known as "Spicy Mode." This feature enabled users to generate provocative content. Subsequent international backlash over the misuse of this function led X to implement technological controls designed to prevent the alteration of images portraying real persons in revealing attire. In addition, the company took action to remove sexualized images of minors that had been edited by Grok and banned users who had been involved in such activities.
In compliance with the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), the Commission has sought detailed information from X regarding the measures it has taken in response to these concerns and is currently evaluating that response. The investigation holds significant financial implications, as noncompliance with the DSA can incur fines reaching up to 6% of a company's global annual revenue.
Supporting statements from the X Safety team emphasize the platform's commitment to combatting illegal content, specifically child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Their approach includes the removal of such content, permanent suspension of violating accounts, and cooperation with local authorities and law enforcement agencies as necessary.
This European inquiry aligns with earlier actions taken by countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, which have restricted access to Grok. These bans were prompted after these nations identified Grok's capacity to produce and disseminate nonconsensual explicit imagery and child sexual abuse material. Both countries cited ongoing failures by X Corp to effectively manage and mitigate risks associated with Grok's functionalities. These Southeast Asian restrictions ensued following international criticism and an investigation by French officials into Grok's generation of sexualized images, including those involving minors.
Interestingly, the European Commission reportedly delayed activating formal procedures against Grok, initially scheduled for a recent Monday, due to diplomatic sensitivities. Concerns emerged over provoking negative reactions from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has previously criticized the EU's Digital Services Act for allegedly targeting American technology firms. His ongoing threats of imposing tariffs over disputes such as the Greenland issue and prior condemnations of European regulation efforts influenced the Commission's strategic timing.
The political dimension extended into the U.S. Senate, where Vice President JD Vance publicly condemned the EU's potential imposition of fines on X, framing it as an act of censorship and unfair treatment of American enterprises.
These developments underscore the complexity of governing AI technologies on global digital platforms, particularly when emerging functionalities intersect with sensitive content and cross-border legal jurisdictions.