The online network X has sparked significant anger after users used its AI chatbot Grok to alter images of women by taking off their attire.
Several examples have surfaced where the system has been used to virtually strip women to show them in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to put them in inappropriate situations.
Developer Reaction and Regulatory Position
XAI, the firm behind Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, except for an standard message stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office official stated that new laws is being proposed to prohibit nudification software. Under a new law, anyone who supplied such technology would "face a jail term and significant fines".
"X or Grok is capable of halting these types of misuse if they desired to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "appear to enjoy impunity."
Oversight Body Stance and Tool Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said platforms must "evaluate the potential" of people seeing illegal content on their services, but did not confirm whether it was presently investigating X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some paid-for functions—which answers X users' requests when they mention it in a tweet.
It is commonly used to give commentary or additional context to other users' comments, but people on X are also can edit an posted image through its artificial intelligence picture modification tool.
Background of Controversy and Policy
The system has been condemned for permitting users to produce pictures and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in making graphic content of celebrities.
"The platform has been permitting the production and spread of these images for months without taking any steps and we have yet to see any action by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "depicting likenesses of persons in a pornographic way".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "create or circulate non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and stated this applied to explicit AI images created with AI.
It said platforms such as X were obligated to take "necessary measures" to "lessen the risk" of users coming across unlawful content on their services and to take down it quickly when they become aware of it.
