The online network X has sparked significant outrage after individuals utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to alter pictures of females by stripping their attire.
Multiple cases have surfaced where the tool has been employed to digitally undress female subjects to make them appear in bikinis without consent, as well as to put them in sexualized situations.
Company Reaction and Legal Stance
XAI, the firm that created Grok, remained silent to questions, other than an standard message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government spokesperson stated that legislation is being proposed to outlaw nudification software. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who supplied such technology would "receive a prison sentence and significant penalties".
"The platform could prevent these forms of abuse if they chose to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Position and Tool Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "evaluate the danger" of people viewing illegal content on their networks, but did not specify whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in concerning artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a no-cost chatbot—with some premium functions—which responds to X users' requests when they reference it in a tweet.
It is often used to provide commentary or additional context to other posters' comments, but people on X are also can alter an uploaded image through its artificial intelligence picture modification function.
History of Criticism and Policy
The system has been faulted for permitting users to produce images and footage with nudity and sexualised content, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in creating sexually explicit content of celebrities.
"X has been enabling the creation and spread of these pictures for months without taking any action and we have yet to see any intervention by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own terms of service forbids "depicting images of individuals in a pornographic manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was illegal to "generate or share private pictures or illegal content" and stated this included explicit AI images generated with AI.
It said networks such as X were required to take "appropriate steps" to "reduce the danger" of users encountering illegal content on their services and to delete it quickly when they learn of it.
