SAN FRANCISCO: Elon Musk’s platform X has announced a sweeping set of safeguards to prevent its AI chatbot Grok from generating sexualised images of real people, responding to mounting global backlash and regulatory pressure.
The measures follow investigations and access restrictions launched in several countries after Grok was found to have produced non-consensual, sexually explicit images of women and children. California’s attorney general has opened a probe into xAI, the developer of Grok, while regulators in Europe, the UK, and Asia have raised concerns over potential violations of local laws.
X said it will now geoblock the creation of images depicting people in bikinis, underwear, or similar attire in jurisdictions where such content is illegal. The company also confirmed it has implemented technical controls to prevent the editing of images of real people into revealing clothing, a restriction that applies to all users, including paid subscribers.
In an additional step, X announced that image generation and photo-editing features through Grok are now limited to paid subscribers, adding what it described as an “extra layer of protection.”
According to AFP, the European Commission welcomed the changes, saying it would closely assess whether the new measures effectively protect EU citizens.
Regulators in the UK and France have also launched inquiries, while Indonesia and Malaysia have blocked access to Grok entirely. India reported that X has already removed thousands of posts and hundreds of accounts following government complaints.
The move comes after independent research found that a significant share of Grok-generated images depicted individuals in minimal attire, with a small but troubling proportion appearing to involve minors.
Officials in California said they have “zero tolerance” for AI-enabled non-consensual intimate imagery and will determine whether state laws were breached.
With pressure continuing from governments, civil society groups, and digital watchdogs worldwide, X’s latest action marks a significant step toward tightening oversight of AI-generated content on the platform.
