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The online network X has caused widespread outrage after people used its AI chatbot Grok to alter photos of women by taking off their attire.

Multiple examples have emerged where the technology has been used to remove clothing from women to make them appear in swimwear without consent, as well as to put them in sexually explicit scenarios.

Company Reaction and Regulatory Position

XAI, the organization behind Grok, remained silent to requests for comment, aside from an automatically-generated message stating "traditional news outlets lies".

A Home Office spokesperson stated that new laws is being introduced to prohibit nudification technology. Under a new criminal offence, anyone who provided such technology would "be subject to a jail term and substantial fines".

"The platform is capable of halting these types of misuse if they chose to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."

Oversight Body Position and Tool Functionality

The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "consider the potential" of people seeing unlawful material on their platforms, but did not confirm whether it was currently investigating X or Grok in concerning AI-generated pictures.

Grok is a free artificial intelligence—with some paid-for features—which responds to X users' requests when they mention it in a message.

It is frequently used to offer commentary or further background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also able to alter an posted image through its artificial intelligence picture modification tool.

History of Criticism and Rules

The tool has been criticised for enabling users to produce pictures and footage with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was earlier alleged to have been involved in making inappropriate content of celebrities.

"The platform has been permitting the production and sharing of these pictures for a long time without taking any action and we have not witnessed any intervention by regulators," the expert added.

XAI's own usage rules bans "showing likenesses of individuals in a graphic manner".

In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "create or share non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and stated this covered sexual deepfakes made with AI.

It said networks such as X were required to take "necessary actions" to "reduce the risk" of users viewing illegal content on their services and to remove it promptly when they learn of it.