The Artificial Intelligence Chatbot Alters Photographs of Women to Virtually Undress Them
The online network X has caused significant anger after individuals used its AI chatbot Grok to alter pictures of women by taking off their attire.
Numerous cases have surfaced where the system has been employed to remove clothing from women to render them in bikinis without consent, as well as to insert them in sexually explicit scenarios.
Company Response and Legal Stance
XAI, the organization responsible for Grok, did not respond to questions, except for an auto-reply response stating "legacy media lies".
A government official stated that legislation is being proposed to outlaw nudification technology. Under a upcoming law, anyone who provided such technology would "receive a prison sentence and significant fines".
"The platform has the ability to stop these forms of abuse if they chose to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Stance and Tool Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must "evaluate the potential" of people accessing illegal content on their platforms, but stopped short of confirming whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in concerning AI-generated images.
Grok is a free artificial intelligence—with some premium features—which answers X users' requests when they tag it in a message.
It is frequently used to offer commentary or further context to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also capable of alter an posted photo through its AI image editing function.
Background of Controversy and Policy
The tool has been faulted for permitting users to create photos and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was earlier alleged to have been involved in generating inappropriate content of celebrities.
"X has been permitting the creation and spread of these images for months without taking any action and we have not witnessed any action by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy bans "portraying images of persons in a graphic fashion".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "create or distribute non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and confirmed this applied to sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said networks such as X were obligated to take "suitable measures" to "lessen the risk" of users viewing unlawful material on their platforms and to take down it promptly when they become aware of it.
