The social media network X has sparked major anger after people employed its AI chatbot Grok to alter images of women by removing their clothing.
Numerous instances have been seen where the tool has been used to digitally undress female subjects to show them in bikinis without permission, as well as to place them in sexually explicit scenarios.
Developer Reaction and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the organization behind Grok, did not respond to questions, aside from an standard response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government representative stated that legislation is being brought forward to ban image stripping technology. Under a upcoming law, anyone who provided such tools would "receive a prison sentence and significant fines".
"X or Grok could prevent these types of misuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy impunity."
Oversight Body Position and Platform Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said platforms must "evaluate the risk" of people accessing unlawful material on their platforms, but stopped short of confirming whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some additional functions—which answers X users' queries when they reference it in a message.
It is often used to offer commentary or more context to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also able to edit an posted image through its artificial intelligence picture modification tool.
History of Criticism and Policy
The tool has been condemned for permitting users to create pictures and clips with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in creating sexually explicit content of celebrities.
"X has been permitting the production and spread of these images for months without taking any action and we have yet to see any intervention by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own terms of service forbids "portraying images of persons in a graphic fashion".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was against the law to "make or distribute non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and confirmed this applied to explicit AI images made with AI.
It said platforms such as X were mandated to take "appropriate actions" to "reduce the danger" of users viewing unlawful material on their platforms and to delete it quickly when they become aware of it.
