The online platform X has provoked major outrage after users utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to manipulate pictures of females by stripping their clothing.
Multiple instances have surfaced where the technology has been employed to virtually strip women to render them in swimwear without permission, as well as to place them in inappropriate situations.
Developer Response and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the organization responsible for Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, aside from an auto-reply message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government spokesperson stated that legislation is being proposed to outlaw image stripping technology. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who provided such technology would "receive a prison sentence and substantial fines".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these forms of abuse if they desired to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Regulator Stance and Tool Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "evaluate the danger" of people seeing unlawful material on their platforms, but did not confirm whether it was presently looking into X or Grok in concerning artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a free artificial intelligence—with some premium features—which responds to X users' queries when they tag it in a tweet.
It is often used to give reactions or additional context to other users' remarks, but people on X are also able to modify an posted picture through its AI image editing function.
Background of Criticism and Policy
The system has been condemned for permitting users to generate photos and clips with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was previously accused of making inappropriate content of celebrities.
"X has been enabling the production and distribution of these pictures for months without taking any measures and we have yet to see any action by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own terms of service prohibits "portraying images of individuals in a sexually explicit manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was illegal to "create or circulate deepfakes or child sexual abuse material" and stated this applied to sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said networks such as X were required to take "necessary actions" to "reduce the risk" of users viewing illegal material on their services and to take down it swiftly when they become aware of it.
