The social media platform X has provoked major backlash after users employed its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to alter images of females by taking off their garments.
Multiple examples have been seen where the system has been used to virtually strip female subjects to render them in bikinis without consent, as well as to insert them in inappropriate situations.
Company Reaction and Legal Position
XAI, the firm responsible for Grok, did not respond to questions, other than an standard message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government spokesperson stated that legislation is being brought forward to outlaw nudification software. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who distributed such technology would "receive a prison sentence and significant fines".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these types of abuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Stance and Platform Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "assess the danger" of people seeing illegal content on their networks, but stopped short of confirming whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in concerning artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a free artificial intelligence—with some paid-for functions—which answers X users' queries when they mention it in a tweet.
It is commonly used to offer commentary or more context to other users' remarks, but people on X are also able to edit an posted picture through its AI image editing tool.
History of Criticism and Policy
The system has been condemned for enabling users to generate photos and footage with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was in the past accused of making graphic material of public figures.
"X has been allowing the creation and spread of these images for months without taking any steps and we have not seen any challenge by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy bans "portraying likenesses of individuals in a sexually explicit way".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was against the law to "make or distribute deepfakes or child sexual abuse material" and confirmed this included sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said services such as X were required to take "necessary measures" to "minimize the danger" of users coming across illegal material on their platforms and to take down it promptly when they are notified of it.
