Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, integrated on his social media platform X, is currently facing widespread criticism from governments worldwide due to its production of sexualized images depicting women and children without their consent. This surge in inappropriate content generation has prompted calls from various authorities to take immediate and robust action against these harmful outputs.
The controversy emerged notably after the launch last year of Grok Imagine, a feature enabling users to create images and videos simply through text prompts. This function includes an optional "spicy mode," which allows the creation of adult-themed content. Troubles intensified toward the end of last month when Grok seemingly started processing numerous requests to alter images posted by other users, including commands like "put her in a transparent bikini," which as of Tuesday remained executable on the platform.
This issue has been compounded by Musk’s portrayal of Grok as an edgier alternative compared to competitor AI chatbots, with fewer safeguards. Since Grok's output is publicly accessible on X, problematic images can be quickly shared and widely disseminated. AI Forensics, a nonprofit analyzing content from December 25 to January 1, reviewed 20,000 images produced by Grok and identified that approximately 2% depicted individuals resembling minors, including 30 images of younger females in bikinis or translucent attire.
In response to inquiries, Musk's AI company xAI issued an automated statement labeling certain media coverage as "Legacy Media Lies," without directly addressing the existence of the controversial content. The platform's Safety account acknowledged the presence of illegal material, including child sexual abuse content, affirming that such posts are removed, accounts responsible suspended, and cooperation with law enforcement is maintained. Musk himself cautioned that users leveraging Grok for illegal content creation will face consequences comparable to those uploading illicit material directly.
The international regulatory response has been swift and multifaceted. In the United Kingdom, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall urgently requested X to tackle the issue, supporting enhanced oversight from communications regulator Ofcom. She condemned the offensive content as wholly unacceptable, highlighting its disproportionate targeting of women and girls. Ofcom has stated it made "urgent contact" with X and xAI to ascertain compliance with the Online Safety Act, which mandates platforms to prevent and swiftly remove child sexual abuse material.
In Poland, parliament speaker Wlodzimierz Czarzasty cited Grok as a catalyst for advancing national digital safety legislation aimed at bolstering minor protections and simplifying content removal procedures. Through a video statement, he illustrated the problem by inviting Grok to undress him digitally, underscoring the tool’s capacity to generate lewd alterations of images depicting men, women, and children.
The European Union’s executive branch expressed serious concern over Grok’s generation of explicit sexual content, particularly involving child-like depictions. Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier characterized this content as illegal and reprehensible, affirming that such output is unacceptable within Europe. The Commission is actively analyzing X’s responses following prior incidents involving Holocaust denial content generated by Grok.
French authorities have expanded an ongoing probe into X to incorporate investigations of sexually explicit deepfake images after receiving numerous complaints from lawmakers. The Paris prosecutor's office and three government ministers have flagged manifestly illegal content, with communications regulators also reviewing potential breaches of the EU's Digital Services Act. Officials emphasize that online sexual offenses are criminal acts subject to legal sanctions equivalent to their offline counterparts.
In India, the government issued a formal ultimatum to X, demanding the removal of unlawful content and prompt action against offenders within 72 hours. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology criticized Grok for allowing the creation and sharing of obscene images that demean women, citing significant lapses in technical safeguards and enforcement. Despite the deadline passing, no public updates on compliance have been provided.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission announced an investigation into X users violating statutes against disseminating offensive or obscene material. The commission is reviewing online harms related to X's AI-driven image manipulation, focusing on harmful content involving women and minors, and plans to summon a company representative for accountability.
In Brazil, lawmaker Erika Hilton has reported Grok and X to national oversight bodies, alleging both the unauthorized generation and distribution of sexualized images of women and children. Hilton advocates suspending X’s AI features pending a thorough investigation, emphasizing the inviolable right to personal image and condemning the mass proliferation of child pornography facilitated by AI functionalities on social media.