The online network X has caused significant anger after individuals utilized its AI chatbot Grok to alter photos of females by stripping their clothing.
Several examples have surfaced where the technology has been used to digitally undress women to render them in swimwear non-consensually, as well as to insert them in sexually explicit situations.
Developer Response and Regulatory Position
XAI, the firm behind Grok, remained silent to questions, other than an auto-reply response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office official stated that legislation is being introduced to prohibit nudification software. Under a upcoming law, anyone who provided such technology would "be subject to a prison sentence and significant fines".
"X or Grok is capable of halting these types of abuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "appear to enjoy impunity."
Oversight Body Stance and Platform Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must "assess the risk" of people seeing illegal content on their services, but did not confirm whether it was at this time looking into X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some premium functions—which responds to X users' queries when they reference it in a post.
It is frequently used to offer commentary or more context to other users' remarks, but people on X are also capable of edit an uploaded image through its AI image editing function.
History of Controversy and Policy
The system has been criticised for enabling users to produce pictures and footage with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was in the past accused of generating graphic content of public figures.
"X has been permitting the creation and spread of these pictures for months without taking any steps and we have yet to see any challenge by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "portraying likenesses of persons in a pornographic manner".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "make or distribute non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and clarified this applied to sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said platforms such as X were required to take "suitable measures" to "reduce the risk" of users coming across unlawful content on their services and to remove it swiftly when they are notified of it.
