The online network X has caused major backlash after people utilized its AI chatbot Grok to alter pictures of women by removing their garments.
Multiple instances have been seen where the system has been used to remove clothing from women to make them appear in bikinis without consent, as well as to put them in sexually explicit contexts.
Developer Response and Regulatory Position
XAI, the organization behind Grok, did not respond to inquiries, other than an auto-reply message stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office representative stated that legislation is being introduced to outlaw image stripping technology. Under a upcoming law, anyone who supplied such technology would "face a prison sentence and significant penalties".
"The platform is capable of halting these types of abuse if they desired to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "operate with impunity."
Oversight Body Position and Tool Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said platforms must "assess the danger" of people viewing illegal content on their platforms, but stopped short of confirming whether it was presently looking into X or Grok in concerning AI-generated images.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some additional features—which reacts to X users' requests when they reference it in a tweet.
It is commonly used to provide reactions or additional background to other posters' comments, but people on X are also capable of modify an posted image through its AI image editing function.
Background of Controversy and Policy
The system has been faulted for permitting users to create images and clips with nudity and sexualised content, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in making graphic content of celebrities.
"X has been allowing the generation and sharing of these pictures for a long time without taking any steps and we have not witnessed any intervention by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy forbids "showing likenesses of people in a graphic way".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was against the law to "create or distribute private pictures or illegal content" and stated this covered explicit AI images created with AI.
It said networks such as X were required to take "suitable measures" to "lessen the danger" of users viewing illegal content on their services and to delete it promptly when they learn of it.
