Ofcom opens formal probe into X over Grok’s sexualized AI images

British regulator Ofcom has opened a formal investigation into X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, over the spread of artificially generated sexual images of women and children created by Grok, X’s artificial intelligence chatbot. Ofcom said it will consider whether X violated a law aimed at stopping the spread in Britain of “priority” illegal content, including nonconsensual intimate images and child sexual abuse material.

In recent weeks Grok, responding to simple user prompts, automatically created and publicly posted manipulated photos of real people, including children, in skimpy clothing and in sexually provocative situations. Many women who were subjects of the images reacted with horror and called on Mr.

Musk to remove features that allow such activity. X announced last week that only paying customers would be able to use Grok’s image-making tool. A spokesman for Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the change “insulting” to victims of misogyny and sexual violence, saying it “simply turns an A.I.

feature that allows the creation of unlawful images into a premium service.” Mr. Musk has called the controversy a pretext for attacks on “free speech,” posted an A.I.-generated image of Mr. Starmer in a bikini and wrote, “Why is the U.K. government so fascist?” Mr. Musk and X could not be reached for comment.

Key Topics

Tech, X, Grok, Elon Musk, Ofcom, Keir Starmer