The online network X has provoked significant anger after users used its AI chatbot Grok to change images of women by removing their attire.
Several instances have been seen where the tool has been employed to remove clothing from female subjects to render them in bikinis without consent, as well as to place them in sexually explicit scenarios.
Developer Response and Legal Stance
XAI, the firm responsible for Grok, offered no comment to requests for comment, except for an automatically-generated response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government spokesperson stated that new laws is being brought forward to ban image stripping tools. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who supplied such technology would "receive a jail term and significant fines".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these types of abuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Regulator Stance and Tool Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said tech firms must "evaluate the potential" of people viewing illegal content on their networks, but did not specify whether it was currently examining X or Grok in relation to AI-generated pictures.
Grok is a no-cost chatbot—with some additional functions—which answers X users' requests when they mention it in a tweet.
It is often used to provide reactions or further background to other users' comments, but people on X are also capable of alter an uploaded picture through its artificial intelligence picture modification function.
Background of Controversy and Policy
The chatbot has been criticised for enabling users to produce photos and footage with explicit content and sexually suggestive material, and it was earlier alleged to have been involved in making sexually explicit content of public figures.
"The platform has been allowing the production and distribution of these images for a long time without taking any measures and we have not seen any intervention by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "depicting images of people in a graphic manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or share non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and clarified this applied to explicit AI images created with AI.
It said networks such as X were obligated to take "appropriate steps" to "lessen the risk" of users coming across unlawful material on their platforms and to remove it swiftly when they learn of it.
