The online network X has caused major outrage after people utilized its AI chatbot Grok to change pictures of females by taking off their garments.
Several instances have surfaced where the technology has been used to digitally undress women to make them appear in bikinis without permission, as well as to place them in inappropriate situations.
Developer Reaction and Legal Position
XAI, the firm behind Grok, remained silent to requests for comment, except for an standard response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government spokesperson stated that new laws is being brought forward to prohibit nudification technology. Under a upcoming law, anyone who supplied such technology would "face a prison sentence and heavy penalties".
"The platform could prevent these types of abuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have impunity."
Regulator Position and Platform Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "assess the danger" of people accessing illegal content on their services, but stopped short of confirming whether it was presently examining X or Grok in relation to AI-generated images.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some premium functions—which reacts to X users' requests when they mention it in a tweet.
It is often used to provide reactions or further context to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also capable of alter an posted photo through its AI image editing feature.
Background of Criticism and Rules
The tool has been condemned for enabling users to create photos and footage with explicit content and sexualised material, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in making inappropriate content of celebrities.
"The platform has been enabling the generation and sharing of these pictures for a long time without taking any steps and we have not witnessed any intervention by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own usage rules bans "depicting images of people in a pornographic fashion".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "make or distribute non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and confirmed this included explicit AI images created with AI.
It said platforms such as X were mandated to take "suitable measures" to "reduce the risk" of users encountering unlawful material on their platforms and to remove it swiftly when they learn of it.
