The online network X has provoked widespread anger after users utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to alter images of women by taking off their attire.
Numerous instances have emerged where the technology has been used to digitally undress women to make them appear in bikinis without consent, as well as to insert them in inappropriate scenarios.
Company Response and Legal Stance
XAI, the firm behind Grok, offered no comment to inquiries, except for an standard response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government spokesperson stated that new laws is being brought forward to outlaw image stripping technology. Under a new law, anyone who provided such technology would "face a prison sentence and heavy penalties".
"X or Grok could prevent these forms of misuse if they chose to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "appear to enjoy impunity."
Regulator Stance and Tool Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said platforms must "consider the risk" of people seeing unlawful material on their platforms, but stopped short of confirming whether it was at this time investigating X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a free artificial intelligence—with some premium functions—which reacts to X users' prompts when they reference it in a message.
It is often used to give reactions or more background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also capable of alter an posted photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.
History of Controversy and Policy
The system has been criticised for allowing users to create images and footage with explicit content and sexualised content, and it was previously accused of creating graphic material of celebrities.
"X has been permitting the creation and distribution of these images for a long time without taking any measures and we have not seen any action by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "portraying likenesses of people in a sexually explicit way".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was against the law to "make or circulate private pictures or illegal content" and clarified this covered sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said services such as X were obligated to take "suitable actions" to "reduce the danger" of users coming across unlawful content on their platforms and to take down it swiftly when they become aware of it.
