In recent days, the Grok chatbot developed by Elon Musk and deployed on the social media network X has altered the accessibility of its image generation functionality by restricting some of these features exclusively to paying subscribers. This adjustment came rapidly following a significant global outcry triggered by instances where Grok’s AI image generation reportedly produced "digitally undressed" representations of individuals, including minors, provoking widespread concern regarding content safety and ethical boundaries.
The modification appears to have been implemented sometime between Thursday and Friday of the week in question. Users on the platform attempting to invoke image generation and editing features without a paid subscription are now met with a message stating, "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers," accompanied by a prompt inviting them to subscribe for continued access.
It is important to note that this new restriction specifically impacts one method by which users interact with Grok's image creation capabilities. On X, when users directly tag Grok in a post with a request to generate an image, this public interaction now mandates subscription. Conversely, other avenues remain open; for example, an "edit image" button available on uploaded images enables all users to access Grok’s editing tools without subscription. Furthermore, Grok maintains free unrestricted access to image and video generation via its standalone website and dedicated application.
Insights into the internal atmosphere of the AI development firm xAI, responsible for Grok, reveal that in the weeks leading to the public controversy, Elon Musk had reportedly voiced dissatisfaction concerning the safeguards (or “guardrails”) implemented on Grok Imagine during a company meeting. This period also saw the departure of three significant members of xAI’s safety team, including the head of product safety, thereby raising questions about the stability and direction of the project’s content moderation approach.
The implications of Grok’s image generation output have garnered official attention and condemnation from various global authorities. Entities in the United Kingdom, the European Union, Malaysia, and India have all expressed unease regarding the adequacy of Grok’s content controls and the emergence of what has been widely perceived as deepfake pornography. The British Prime Minister’s office explicitly criticized X’s decision to limit the feature to paying customers, arguing that it effectively converts an AI function capable of creating unlawful imagery into a premium offering. This criticism was conveyed through a spokesperson and reported by the BBC.
On the regulatory front in the United States, a coalition of senators took the step of addressing letters to major technology platforms Apple and Google. They urged these companies to remove the X app and Grok from their respective app stores, citing violations of the platforms’ distribution policies as justification for such measures.
Despite the uproar surrounding Grok’s image generation controversies, X’s leadership, including Elon Musk and the platform’s head of product Nikita Bier, indicated that user engagement metrics were robust during this period. They noted that the platform was experiencing some of its highest activity rates ever, implying that the controversy had limited immediate negative impact on user participation.
Amid these developments, Musk’s AI startup xAI achieved a major financial milestone, announcing the closing of its Series E funding round. The company exceeded its initial target of $15 billion by raising $20 billion from investors, a significant capital influx that underscores continued confidence in Musk’s AI ambitions despite recent challenges.
Requests for comment directed to X’s representatives seeking clarification or response regarding the newly imposed subscription restrictions on Grok’s image generation features went unanswered at the time of reporting.
These events collectively highlight the complex balance between innovation, content moderation, regulatory compliance, and public responsibility facing AI-driven social media tools today.