The Grok AI Alters Images of Women to Virtually Strip Them
The social media platform X has caused widespread outrage after users utilized its AI chatbot Grok to change images of females by removing their clothing.
Numerous examples have surfaced where the technology has been used to virtually strip women to show them in bikinis without permission, as well as to place them in sexually explicit scenarios.
Company Response and Regulatory Position
XAI, the company responsible for Grok, remained silent to questions, except for an auto-reply response stating "legacy media lies".
A government spokesperson stated that new laws is being brought forward to outlaw image stripping software. Under a new law, anyone who supplied such technology would "receive a prison sentence and heavy penalties".
"X or Grok could prevent these types of abuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Regulator Stance and Platform Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "consider the danger" of people viewing illegal content on their services, but did not confirm whether it was presently examining X or Grok in relation to AI-generated pictures.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some additional features—which reacts to X users' queries when they reference it in a message.
It is commonly used to offer commentary or further context to other users' remarks, but people on X are also can modify an uploaded picture through its AI image editing tool.
History of Controversy and Rules
The system has been faulted for allowing users to create images and clips with explicit content and sexualised material, and it was in the past accused of making graphic material of celebrities.
"The platform has been enabling the creation and sharing of these pictures for months without taking any action and we have not seen any action by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy forbids "portraying images of individuals in a pornographic way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "create or circulate private pictures or illegal content" and confirmed this covered explicit AI images generated with AI.
It said platforms such as X were required to take "suitable measures" to "reduce the risk" of users viewing unlawful content on their services and to remove it promptly when they become aware of it.