EU launches probe into X and Grok AI over 23,000 child sexual abuse images generated in 11 days

EU opens investigation into X over Grok sexualised imagery, lawmaker says

LONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) - The European Commission has launched an investigation into Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok over the production of explicit imagery, Regina Doherty, a member of the European parliament representing Ireland, said in a statement on Monday. The investigation will assess whether X has complied with its obligations under EU digital legislation, including requirements relating to risk mitigation, content governance, and the protection of fundamental rights, the lawmaker said. A Commission spokesperson did not immediately respond when asked to confirm if an investigation had been opened. X did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on Monday. "This case raises very serious questions about whether platforms are meeting their legal obligations to assess risks properly and to prevent illegal and harmful content from spreading," Doherty said in an emailed statement. The Commission earlier this month said the AI-generated images of undressed women and children being shared across Elon Musk's social media site X were unlawful and appalling, joining a chorus of condemnation across the world. Doherty said the images had exposed wider weaknesses in how emerging AI technologies are regulated and enforced. "The European Union has clear rules to protect people online. Those rules must mean something in practice, especially when powerful technologies are deployed at scale. No company operating in the EU is above the law," she added. Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; Editing by William James and Alexander Smith Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

European Union opens investigation into Musk's AI chatbot Grok over sexual deepfakes

BRUSSELS (AP) -- European Union regulators on Monday opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X after his artificial intelligence chatbot Grok started spewing nonconsensual sexualized deepfake images on the platform. The scrutiny from Brussels comes after Grok sparked a global backlash by allowing users through its AI image generation and editing capabilities to undress people, putting females in transparent bikinis or revealing clothing. Researchers said some images appeared to include children. Some governments banned the service or issued warnings. The 27-nation EU's executive said it was looking into whether X has done enough as required by the bloc's digital regulations to contain the risks of spreading illegal content such as "manipulated sexually explicit images." That includes content that "may amount to child sexual abuse material," the European Commission said. These risks have now "materialized," the commission said, exposing the bloc's citizens to "serious harm." Regulators will examine whether Grok is living up to its obligations under the Digital Services Act, the bloc's wide-ranging rulebook for keeping internet users safe from harmful content and products. In response to a request for comment, an X spokeswoman directed The Associated Press to an earlier statement that the company remains "committed to making X a safe platform for everyone" and that it has "zero tolerance" for child sexual exploitation, nonconsensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content. The X statement from Jan. 14 also said it would stop allowing users to depict people in "bikinis, underwear or other revealing attire," but only in places where it's illegal. "Non-consensual sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation," Henna Virkkunen, an executive vice-president at the commission. "With this investigation, we will determine whether X has met its legal obligations under the DSA, or whether it treated rights of European citizens -- including those of women and children - as collateral damage of its service," said Virkkunen, who oversees tech sovereignty, security and democracy. The Commission also said Monday that it's extending a separate investigation into X over whether the platform has been following the DSA's requirements. That probe opened in 2023 and is still ongoing. It has so far resulted in a 120 million euro (then-$140 million) fine in December for breaches of the transparency requirements.

EU investigates Elon Musk's X over Grok AI sexual deepfakes

The European Commission has launched an investigation into Elon Musk's X over concerns its AI tool Grok was used to create sexualised images of real people. It follows a similar announcement in January from the UK watchdog Ofcom. Regina Doherty, a member of the European parliament representing Ireland, said the Commission would assess whether "manipulated sexually explicit images" have been shown to users in the EU. A previous statement from X's Safety account said the social media platform had stopped Grok from digitally altering pictures of people to remove their clothing in "jurisdictions where such content is illegal". But campaigners and victims said the ability to generate sexually explicit pictures using the tool should have "never happened" in the first place, and Ofcom said its investigation would remain ongoing. The EU regulator said it may "impose interim measures" if X refuses to implement meaningful adjustments. It said it had also extended its ongoing investigation launched in December 2023 over risks associated with X's recommender systems - the algorithm that recommends specific posts to users. Before the Commission's announcement, Elon Musk posted a picture on X on Monday appearing to make light of the new restrictions in place around Grok. The X owner has previously criticised those scrutinising the app's image-editing function - particularly the UK government - calling it "any excuse for censorship". On Sunday, the Grok account on X claimed more than 5.5 billion images were generated by the tool in just 30 days. In a statement to Reuters, Doherty said there were "serious questions" over if platforms such as X were meeting legal obligations "to assess risks properly and to prevent illegal and harmful content from spreading". "The European Union has clear rules to protect people online," she said. "Those rules must mean something in practice, especially when powerful technologies are deployed at scale. "No company operating in the EU is above the law." A spokesperson from Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland's media regulator, said it welcomed the news. "There is no place in our society for non-consensual intimate imagery abuse or child sexual abuse material," they said. The move comes a month after the EU fined X €120m (£105m) over its blue tick badges, saying they "deceive users" because the firm is not "meaningfully verifying" who is behind the account. In response, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) accused the EU regulator of attacking and censoring US firms. "The European Commission's fine isn't just an attack on X, it's an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments," he said. His remarks were reposted by Musk, who added "absolutely". Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.

EU also investigating as Grok generated 23,000 CSAM images

The EU has opened its own investigation into the Grok chatbot generating child sexual abuse material. It's estimated that Grok generated 23,000 CSAM images in just 11 days. Despite multiple calls for Apple and Google to temporarily remove both X and Grok from the App Store, neither company has yet done so ... Grok generated 23,000 CSAM images Like most other AI chatbots, xAI's Grok is able to generate images from text prompts. It can do so either directly in the app, on the web, or through X. Unlike other services, however, Grok has extremely loose guardrails that have seen it generating non-consensual semi-nude images of real individuals, including children. Engadget reports that one estimate has suggested Grok generated around 23,000 CSAM images in just 11 days. The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) published its findings. The British nonprofit based its findings on a random sample of 20,000 Grok images from December 29 to January 9. The CCDH then extrapolated a broader estimate based on the 4.6 million images Grok generated during that period [...] Over an 11-day period, Grok generated an estimated 3 million sexualized images -- including an estimated 23,000 of children. Put another way, Grok generated an estimated 190 sexualized images per minute during that 11-day period. Among those, it made a sexualized image of children once every 41 seconds. EU investigation opened Earlier this month, three US senators asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to temporarily remove both X and Grok from the App Store due to "sickening content generation." The company has not yet done so. Two countries have blocked the app, with investigations already open in both California and the UK. The Financial Times reports that the EU has now opened an investigation also. The probe, announced on Monday under the EU's Digital Services Act, will assess if xAI tried to mitigate the risks of deploying Grok's tools on X and the proliferation of content that "may amount to child sexual abuse material". "Non-consensual sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation," the EU's tech chief Henna Virkkunen said. If the company is found to have breached the DSA, it can be fined up to 6% of its annual global revenue.

EU launches inquiry into X over sexually explicit images made by Grok AI

The European Commission has launched an investigation into Elon Musk's X over the production of sexually explicit images and the spreading of possible child sexual abuse material by the platform's AI chatbot feature, Grok. The formal inquiry, launched on Monday, also extends an investigation into X's recommender systems, algorithms that help users discover new content. Grok has sparked international outrage by allowing users to digitally strip women and children and put them into provocative poses. Grok AI generated about 3m sexualised images in less than two weeks, including 23,000 that appeared to depict children, according to researchers at the Center for Countering Digital Hate. The commission said its new investigation would "assess whether the company properly assessed and mitigated risks" stemming from Grok's functionalities in the EU, including risks on the sharing of illegal content such as manipulated sexually explicit images and "content that may amount to" child sexual abuse material. The investigation is launched under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), a relatively new piece of legislation that is intended to protect internet users from a wide range of harms. Speaking to reporters, an official said the commission had not been convinced by mitigating measures put in place by X to remedy the issue. EU officials are investigating whether X has systems to mitigate risks properly. Announcing the investigation, Henna Virkkunen, the commission's top official for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said: "Non-consensual sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation. With this investigation, we will determine whether X has met its legal obligations under the DSA, or whether it treated rights of European citizens - including those of women and children - as collateral damage of its service." Regina Doherty, an Irish MEP, said she welcomed the formal investigation. "When credible reports emerge of AI systems being used in ways that harm women and children, it is essential that EU law is examined and enforced without delay," Doherty said. In response to the investigation, X provided a link to a statement it published on 14 January: "We remain committed to making X a safe platform for everyone and continue to have zero tolerance for any forms of child sexual exploitation, non-consensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content."

European Commission to open investigation into Elon Musk's X

The European Commission will open today a formal investigation into X after outcry at the platform's failure to prevent the creation of sexually explicit images of real people - including children. The European Commission will today launch a formal investigation into Grok, X's chatbot, after its image-editing function was widely used to virtually undress pictures of real women and underage girls without their consent, according to a report by German newspaper Handelsblatt. The concerns emerged last summer after the platform's built-in AI tool, Grok, was enhanced with a paid feature known as "Spicy Mode", which allowed users to prompt it to create explicit content. Earlier this month, as worldwide outrage at the feature grew, a Commission spokesperson condemned this functionality in the strongest terms: "This is not 'spicy'. This is illegal. This is appalling. This is disgusting. This has no place in Europe." In response to the public anger and alarm, X eventually implemented "technological measures to prevent its AI tool, Grok, from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis" - with restrictions applying to all users, including paid subscribers. X also said that sexualised Grok-altered images of children had been removed from the platform and that the users involved in creating them had been banned. "We take action against illegal content on X, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary," the X Safety account posted. This is not the first time Grok has been under scrutiny for suspected breaches of European law. Last November, the AI chatbot generated Holocaust denial content. Investigations into the platform's chatbot are currently ongoing in France, the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as in Australia. Grok has been banned altogether in Indonesia and Malaysia. The Commission said it had sent a request for information under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) and that it is still analysing the response. If X is found guilty of breaching EU online platform rules under the Digital Services Act, the Commission could fine the company up to 6% of its global annual turnover. Last December, the European Commission fined Elon Musk's social network €120 million over its account verification tick marks and advertising practices.

EU opens probe into Musk's Grok over sexual AI deepfakes

Brussels (Belgium) (AFP) - The EU on Monday hit Elon Musk's X with an investigation over AI chatbot Grok's generation of sexualised deepfake images of women and minors, in the latest step of an international backlash against the tool. Grok faces an outcry after it emerged that users could sexualise images of women and children using simple text prompts such as "put her in a bikini" or "remove her clothes". "In Europe, we will not tolerate unthinkable behaviour, such as digital undressing of women and children," said European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen. "It is simple -- we will not hand over consent and child protection to tech companies to violate and monetise. The harm caused by illegal images is very real," she said in a statement to AFP. EU tech commissioner Henna Virkkunen said the probe would "determine whether X has met its legal obligations" under the bloc's Digital Services Act (DSA), which is designed to police internet giants. She said the rights of women and children in the EU should not be "collateral damage" of X's services. Brussels said it was investigating whether X had properly mitigated "risks related to the dissemination of illegal content in the EU, such as manipulated sexually explicit images, including content that may amount to child sexual abuse material". Three million images According to research published Thursday by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a nonprofit watchdog, Grok generated an estimated three million sexualised images of women and children in a matter of days. As part of the new probe, the EU said it was widening an existing investigation into X aimed at tackling the spread of illegal content and information manipulation. Musk's social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, has been the target of an investigation since December 2023 under the EU's digital content rules. Brussels slapped a 120-million-euro ($140-million) fine on X in December for violating the transparency obligations of the DSA, triggering angry reactions from US President Donald Trump's administration. The breaches included the deceptive design of its "blue checkmark" for supposedly verified accounts, and failure to provide access to public data for researchers. The EU has insisted it will enforce its rules despite pressure from Washington. The dispute over tech regulation comes as the bloc has grappled with the Trump administration on multiple other fronts -- from the Ukraine war to trade to Greenland.

European Union opens investigation into Musk's AI chatbot Grok over sexual deepfakes

BRUSSELS (AP) -- European Union regulators on Monday opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X after his artificial intelligence chatbot Grok started spewing nonconsensual sexualized deepfake images on the platform. The scrutiny from Brussels comes after Grok sparked a global backlash by allowing users through its AI image generation and editing capabilities to undress people, putting females in transparent bikinis or revealing clothing. Researchers said some images appeared to include children. Some governments banned the service or issued warnings. The 27-nation EU's executive said it was looking into whether X has done enough as required by the bloc's digital regulations to contain the risks of spreading illegal content such as "manipulated sexually explicit images." That includes content that "may amount to child sexual abuse material," the European Commission said. These risks have now "materialized," the commission said, exposing the bloc's citizens to "serious harm." Regulators will examine whether Grok is living up to its obligations under the Digital Services Act, the bloc's wide-ranging rulebook for keeping internet users safe from harmful content and products. In response to a request for comment, an X spokeswoman directed The Associated Press to an earlier statement that the company remains "committed to making X a safe platform for everyone" and that it has "zero tolerance" for child sexual exploitation, nonconsensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content. The X statement from Jan. 14 also said it would stop allowing users to depict people in "bikinis, underwear or other revealing attire," but only in places where it's illegal. "Non-consensual sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation," Henna Virkkunen, an executive vice-president at the commission. "With this investigation, we will determine whether X has met its legal obligations under the DSA, or whether it treated rights of European citizens -- including those of women and children - as collateral damage of its service," said Virkkunen, who oversees tech sovereignty, security and democracy. The Commission also said Monday that it's extending a separate investigation into X over whether the platform has been following the DSA's requirements. That probe opened in 2023 and is still ongoing. It has so far resulted in a 120 million euro (then-$140 million) fine in December for breaches of the transparency requirements.

European Union opens investigation into Musk's AI chatbot Grok over sexual deepfakes

European Union regulators have opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X after its AI chatbot Grok started producing nonconsensual sexualized deepfake images LONDON -- The European Union opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X on Monday after his artificial intelligence chatbot Grok started spewing nonconsensual sexualized deepfake images on the platform. European regulators also widened a separate, ongoing investigation into X's recommendation systems after the platform said it would switch to Grok's AI system to choose which posts users see. The scrutiny from Brussels comes after Grok sparked a global backlash by allowing users through its AI image generation and editing capabilities to undress people, putting females in transparent bikinis or revealing clothing. Researchers said some images appeared to include children. Some governments banned the service or issued warnings. The 27-nation EU's executive said it was looking into whether X has done enough as required by the bloc's digital regulations to contain the risks of spreading illegal content such as "manipulated sexually explicit images." That includes content that "may amount to child sexual abuse material," the European Commission said. These risks have now "materialized," the commission said, exposing the bloc's citizens to "serious harm." Regulators will examine whether Grok is living up to its obligations under the Digital Services Act, the bloc's wide-ranging rulebook for keeping internet users safe from harmful content and products. In response to a request for comment, an X spokeswoman directed The Associated Press to an earlier statement that the company remains "committed to making X a safe platform for everyone" and that it has "zero tolerance" for child sexual exploitation, nonconsensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content. The X statement from Jan. 14 also said it would stop allowing users to depict people in "bikinis, underwear or other revealing attire," but only in places where it has been deemed illegal. "Non-consensual sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation," Henna Virkkunen, an executive vice-president at the commission, said in a statement. "With this investigation, we will determine whether X has met its legal obligations under the DSA, or whether it treated rights of European citizens -- including those of women and children - as collateral damage of its service," said Virkkunen, who oversees tech sovereignty, security and democracy. Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI launched Grok's image tool last summer. But the problem began snowballing only late last month when Grok seemingly granted a large number of user requests to modify images posted by others. The problem was amplified both because Musk pitches his chatbot as an edgier alternative with fewer safeguards than rivals, and because Grok's images are publicly visible, and can therefore be easily spread. The EU investigation covers only Grok's service on X, and not Grok's website and standalone app. That's because the DSA applies only to the biggest online platforms. There's no deadline for the bloc to resolve the case, which could end in either X pledging to change its behavior or a hefty fine. In December Brussels issued X with a 120-million euro (then-$140 million) fine as part of the earlier ongoing DSA investigation, for shortcomings including blue checkmarks that broke the rules on "deceptive design practices" that risked exposing users to scams and manipulation. The bloc has also been scrutinizing X over allegations that Grok generated anti-Semitic material and has asked the site for more information.

European Union Opens Investigation Into Musk's AI Chatbot Grok Over Sexual Deepfakes

BRUSSELS (AP) -- European Union regulators on Monday opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X after his artificial intelligence chatbot Grok started spewing nonconsensual sexualized deepfake images on the platform. The scrutiny from Brussels comes after Grok sparked a global backlash by allowing users through its AI image generation and editing capabilities to undress people, putting females in transparent bikinis or revealing clothing. Researchers said some images appeared to include children. Some governments banned the service or issued warnings. The 27-nation EU's executive said it was looking into whether X has done enough as required by the bloc's digital regulations to contain the risks of spreading illegal content such as "manipulated sexually explicit images." That includes content that "may amount to child sexual abuse material," the European Commission said. These risks have now "materialized," the commission said, exposing the bloc's citizens to "serious harm." Regulators will examine whether Grok is living up to its obligations under the Digital Services Act, the bloc's wide-ranging rulebook for keeping internet users safe from harmful content and products. In response to a request for comment, an X spokeswoman directed The Associated Press to an earlier statement that the company remains "committed to making X a safe platform for everyone" and that it has "zero tolerance" for child sexual exploitation, nonconsensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content. The X statement from Jan. 14 also said it would stop allowing users to depict people in "bikinis, underwear or other revealing attire," but only in places where it's illegal. "Non-consensual sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation," Henna Virkkunen, an executive vice-president at the commission. "With this investigation, we will determine whether X has met its legal obligations under the DSA, or whether it treated rights of European citizens -- including those of women and children - as collateral damage of its service," said Virkkunen, who oversees tech sovereignty, security and democracy. The Commission also said Monday that it's extending a separate investigation into X over whether the platform has been following the DSA's requirements. That probe opened in 2023 and is still ongoing. It has so far resulted in a 120 million euro (then-$140 million) fine in December for breaches of the transparency requirements.

Elon Musk's X faces European inquiry over sexualised AI images

European Union regulators are investigating Elon Musk's platform X. Authorities allege X failed to prevent the spread of AI-generated sexualized images. This action intensifies a dispute between Europe and the United States regarding online content rules. X faces scrutiny over its AI chatbot Grok and its handling of harmful material. European Union regulators on Monday announced an investigation of Elon Musk's social media platform X after authorities said that it had failed to stop the spread of sexualized images generated by artificial intelligence. The inquiry is likely to escalate a confrontation between Europe and the United States over the regulation of online content. Musk and his allies in the Trump administration have sharply criticized European Union internet regulations as an attack on free speech and American companies. The European authorities said that X was being investigated for possible violation of the Digital Services Act, alleging that the company had not properly addressed the "systemic risks" of integrating the AI chatbot Grok into its service. Starting in late December, sexually explicit images generated by Grok, including of children, flooded the service, drawing worldwide criticism from victims and regulators. Musk was facing mounting scrutiny in Europe even before this latest Grok controversy. Last month, X was fined 120 million euros, or about $140 million, for violating Digital Services Act rules around deceptive design, advertising transparency and data sharing with outside researchers. European authorities have another investigation underway about X's recommender algorithm and policies for preventing the spread of illicit content. "Nonconsensual sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation," Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission executive vice president who oversees enforcement of the Digital Service Act, said in a statement. "We will determine whether X has met its legal obligations under the DSA, or whether it treated rights of European citizens -- including those of women and children -- as collateral damage of its service." The European Commission, the executive body for the 27-nation European Union, did not give a timeline for the investigation, but said that it had the authority to order X to make changes during the inquiry in the "absence of meaningful adjustments" to the service. A spokesperson for X referred to a previous statement the company had made about Grok. "We remain committed to making X a safe platform for everyone and continue to have zero tolerance for any forms of child sexual exploitation, nonconsensual nudity and unwanted sexual content," the statement said. The latest investigation illustrates a growing divide between the European Union and the United States over free speech and regulation of the internet. European officials argue that the lack of safeguards on platforms like X has allowed hate speech, misogyny and violent content to flourish online. Musk and the Trump administration have said efforts to force the companies to more proactively police the services amounts to censorship. The Digital Services Act, passed in 2022, requires companies to meaningfully address the spread of illegal content, the definition of which varies from country to country in the European Union. It can include material that targets individuals based on their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality or religion. European regulators said that the integration of Grok into X exposed "citizens in the EU to serious harm." British authorities are also investigating the issue. The problems began last month. In response to simple user prompts on X, the chatbot automatically created and publicly posted manipulated photographs of real people, including children, to remove their clothes, put them in skimpy clothing or pose them in sexualized situations. As criticism grew, X limited Grok's AI image creation to users who paid for premium features, which reduced the number of images. X later expanded those guardrails, saying that it would no longer allow anyone to prompt Grok's X account for "images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis." European Union regulators said that they would take X's policy changes into account during the investigation. This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

EU Opens Investigation Into X Over Grok's Sexualised Imagery, Lawmaker Says

LONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) - The European Commission has launched an investigation into Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok over the ⁠production of explicit imagery, Regina Doherty, a member of the European parliament representing Ireland, said in a statement on Monday. "I welcome the Commission's ⁠decision to open a formal investigation. When credible reports emerge of AI systems being used in ways that harm women and children, it is essential that EU law is examined and enforced without delay," Doherty said. The European Commission did not immediately respond when asked if an investigation had been opened. (Reporting by Sam Tabahriti, editing by William James)

European Commission To Investigate Elon Musk's X Over Grok's Nonconsensual Image Editing: Report

Enter your email to get Benzinga's ultimate morning update: The PreMarket Activity Newsletter The European Commission has reportedly announced a formal investigation into Elon Musk's X, a subsidiary of X Corp, over its AI chatbot's image-editing feature, which has been used to create nonconsensual explicit content. EU Probes X's AI For Misuse Of Images The European Commission is set to launch a probe into the image-editing feature of X's chatbot, Grok. This function has been used to virtually undress images of real women and underage girls without their consent, reported German newspaper Handelsblatt on Monday. The controversy arose last summer when Grok, X's AI tool, was upgraded with a paid feature called "Spicy Mode," enabling users to create explicit content. Following global outrage, X implemented technological measures to prevent the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing. The company also removed sexualized Grok-altered images of children and banned the users involved. Under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), the European Commission has sought information from X and is reviewing its response. If X is found to have violated EU online platform regulations, it could be fined up to 6% of its global annual revenue. The X Safety account posted that they take action against illegal content on X, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and collaborating with local governments and law enforcement as needed. This investigation follows Malaysia and Indonesia's decision to block access to Grok after discovering its potential for generating and distributing nonconsensual explicit content and child sexual abuse material. These countries cited "repeated failures by X Corp" to mitigate related risks. The ban by Malaysia and Indonesia came after the AI image generator faced international backlash for creating nonconsensual sexualized images, including those of minors, prompting an investigation by French authorities. EU Delays Grok Action Over Trump According to the publication, the European Commission postponed opening a procedure against Grok, initially planned for last Monday, due to concerns over angering President Donald Trump, who accused Europe's Digital Services Act (DSA) of targeting American tech companies. His recent threats of additional tariffs over Greenland and past criticisms of EU actions against U.S. digital companies prompted the Commission to delay legal action. Notably, in December, Vice President JD Vance criticized the EU for its alleged plans to fine X and accused the EU of censorship and attacking American companies. Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photo courtesy: Shutterstock Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

EU lawmaker says regulator opens probe into X over Grok images

The European Commission, reportedly, has opened a probe into Elon Musk's social media platform X over the generation of explicit imagery by AI service Grok. Regina Doherty, a member of the European Parliament representing Ireland, disclosed in a statement, Reuters reported. The probe examines whether X complies with EU digital laws, potentially exposing X to regulatory risks if found non-compliant. The Commission and lawmakers are concerned about failures to prevent unlawful, AI-generated explicit images and weak risk mitigation. xAI claims to have limited image generation capabilities and geoblocked explicit content in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.

EU opens investigation into X over whether Grok chatbot breached rules | BreakingNews

Elon Musk's Grok AI chatbot faces an investigation by the European Commission into whether it disseminates illegal content such as manipulated sexualised images in the EU. The Commission, which acts as the European Union's executive, said on Monday that its investigation will examine whether X properly assessed and mitigated risks related to Grok's functionalities in the 27-country bloc. "Non-consensual sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation," EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said in a statement. X referred to a statement issued on January 14th in which it said xAI had restricted image editing for Grok AI users and blocked users, based on their location, from generating images of people in revealing clothing in "jurisdictions where it's illegal". It did not identify the countries. The move by the Commission under the Digital Services Act, which requires Big Tech to do more to tackle illegal and harmful online content, came after xAI's Grok produced sexualisedimages of women and minors that alarmed global regulators. Companies risk fines as much as 6 per cent of their global annual turnover for DSA breaches. While the changes made by xAI were welcomed, they do not resolve all the issues and systemic risks and the Commission had grounds to believe X did not carry out an ad hoc assessment when it rolled out Grok's functionalities in Europe, a senior official for the executive told reporters on Monday. The investigation risks antagonising the administration of President Donald Trump as an EU crackdown on Big Tech has triggered criticism and even the threat of US tariffs. "With this investigation, we will determine whether X has met its legal obligations under the DSA, or whether it treated rights of European citizens - including those of women and children - as collateral damage of its service," Virkkunen said. The Commission said earlier this month that the AI-generated images of undressed women and children being shared on X were unlawful and appalling, joining condemnation across the world. EU regulators also extended an investigation into X opened in December 2023 to establish whether it has properly assessed and mitigated all systemic risks related to its so-called recommender systems, including the impact of its recently announced switch to a Grok-based system. They said X may face interim measures in the absence of meaningful adjustments to its service. X was hit with a 150 million euro fine in December for breaching its transparency obligations under the DSA. Separately, Britain's media regulator Ofcom launched its own investigation earlier this month into whether X has complied with its duties under the UK's Online Safety Act.