The online network X has sparked major backlash after individuals utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to alter images of women by removing their garments.
Numerous instances have emerged where the system has been employed to digitally undress women to render them in swimwear without permission, as well as to insert them in inappropriate scenarios.
Company Response and Legal Stance
XAI, the firm responsible for Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, aside from an standard response stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office spokesperson stated that legislation is being introduced to prohibit image stripping technology. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who distributed such technology would "be subject to a prison sentence and significant penalties".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these types of misuse if they desired to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy impunity."
Regulator Stance and Platform Capabilities
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "assess the potential" of people seeing illegal content on their services, but stopped short of confirming whether it was currently examining X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a no-cost chatbot—with some paid-for functions—which reacts to X users' requests when they mention it in a tweet.
It is frequently used to offer reactions or further context to other users' comments, but people on X are also can edit an posted image through its AI image editing feature.
History of Criticism and Rules
The chatbot has been faulted for permitting users to generate pictures and footage with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was in the past accused of generating inappropriate content of celebrities.
"The platform 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 terms of service prohibits "showing likenesses of individuals in a sexually explicit manner".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "make or circulate private pictures or illegal content" and stated this included explicit AI images created with AI.
It said networks such as X were mandated to take "suitable measures" to "reduce the risk" of users viewing unlawful content on their platforms and to delete it swiftly when they are notified of it.
