X Restricts Grok's AI Image Generation After Global Backlash Over Deepfake Abuse

X restricts Grok's image generation to paying subscribers only after drawing the world's ire | TechCrunch

Elon Musk's AI company has restricted Grok's controversial AI image-generation feature to only paying subscribers on X, after the tool invited heavy criticism from across the world for letting users generate sexualized and nude images of women and children. In replies to users on Friday, Grok said only paying subscribers on X would be able to generate and edit images on the platform. Notably, these limits do not apply to the Grok app, which, at the time of publication, was letting anyone generate pictures without having to pay for a subscription. Initially available to anyone with daily limits, Grok's image generation feature allowed users to upload anyone's picture and ask it to edit it or generate a sexualized or nude version. What ensued was a veritable flood of non-consensual sexualized images of children, actors, models and prominent figures, drawing the ire of multiple nations. X and Musk have both publicly denounced the use of the tool to produce such images, writing that the company would stick to its policies against posting illegal content on the social media platform. "Anyone using grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content," Musk tweeted last week. The U.K., the European Union and India have all publicly denounced X and Grok for allowing such use of its capabilities. The EU on Thursday asked xAI to retain all documentation relating to the chatbot, and India's communications ministry last week ordered X to make immediate changes to stop the image generation features from being misused or risk its safe harbor protections in the country. The U.K.'s communications watchdog said it's been in touch with xAI over the issue as well.

No, Grok hasn't paywalled its deepfake image feature

Elon Musk's X has partially restricted access to Grok's image editing capabilities amid growing backlash to the flood of nonconsensual, sexualized deepfakes of adults and minors generated by the platform. As of this writing, it no longer generates images as @grok replies for free, but Grok's image editing tools remain readily available for any X user to churn out images, both sexualized and tame. X users were previously able to ask Grok - by tagging @grok in a tweet - to edit or create images on the platform by tagging it in a post. Users now attempting this are met with an automated response from the chatbot's account, telling them that "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers." The reply includes a link encouraging them to subscribe to X's paid programs "to unlock these features." The message gives the impression that only paid X users can edit or create images using Grok. That message is reinforced in the many headlines circulating right now stating that xAI, another Musk company that makes Grok, has restricted Grok's image editing abilities to this select group of users. But that impression is false. All X users -- including free ones -- can still use Grok to edit and create images, including the sexually suggestive deepfakes that landed Grok in hot water to begin with. Interacting with Grok through replies on X is just one of several ways to use the AI chatbot. For example, the "Edit image" button still invokes Grok on every image displayed on X's desktop website, and that same button can be accessed on the X app by long-pressing on any image. Grok can also be accessed through a standalone website or app, as well as via a highly promoted tab in the X apps and X website. These remain readily available to free users, and require no additional effort compared to the @grok command. The Verge tested the Grok website, app, and X tab with free accounts and Grok readily complied with our requests to edit or generate a variety of images, including a full "nudify" and one of Musk wearing a bikini. The restrictions on X come after Grok has been used to generate sexual images primarily of women, many of them real, as well as minors. Much of this landed on X, which the Financial Times dubbed "the deepfake porn site formerly known as Twitter." The deepfake undressings, as well as other sexual material, have outraged regulators worldwide, who have threatened to take action against X, though the deepfakes may fall into something of a legal void. Musk and xAI have also threatened to take action against users who create illegal content using Grok, rather than ensuring that guardrails exist to make it impossible to create it in the first place. X's approach -- limiting access rather than constraining use -- contrasts with the approach taken by other AI companies like Google and OpenAI, which tend to impose strict guardrails on tools like Gemini and ChatGPT, rather than allow free rein for those who pay. Musk has reportedly opposed stricter guardrails personally, and several members of xAI's already sparse safety team reportedly quit in the lead up to the deluge of digital undressings. X did not respond to The Verge's request for comment.

X Turns Off Grok's Public AI Image Maker For Most Users After Reports of Deepfakes

Social media network X has introduced new limits to stop free users prompting AI chatbot Grok to generate, edit, and share images. Public image generation and editing through Grok is now exclusive to paid X Premium subscribers. You can continue to make images on Grok's app, within its private chatbot, or on its website without a subscription, but those results aren't automatically shared publicly. It's unclear exactly when these new rules were put in place, but Grok now responds to requests for image editing with a disclaimer explaining the changes. Grok replies to free users saying, "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers. You can subscribe to unlock these features." It's followed by a link to subscribe to either X Premium or X Premium+. To get an X subscription, users need to share payment information, such as a credit card, and their full name. X may be using this as a form of identity authentication to allow it to better track users who make illegal imagery through its AI tools. This comes after growing pressure on X around how Grok is able to generate sexualized deepfakes of real people and create child sexual abuse material (CSAM). On Jan. 2, Grok itself apologized for creating and sharing CSAM. X's owner, Elon Musk, said, "Anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content." X's Safety account said it would remove illegal imagery and work with law enforcement "as necessary." Grok continues to allow paying users to create automatically shared sexual deepfake imagery. The AI's reply feed on X continues to show multiple examples of users asking Grok to undress others through AI-generated images. Since Grok's public apology, the outcry from international regulators has grown. UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has called images on the platform "disgusting" and "unlawful." He said, "We're not going to tolerate it. I've asked for all options to be on the table... X need to get their act together and get this material down. We will take action on this because it's simply not tolerable." The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), a charity working to stop child sexual abuse imagery online, says it found multiple CSAM examples where the user claimed to use Grok for generation. Hannah Swirsky, head of policy for the IWF, told ITV News, "We do not believe it is good enough to simply limit access to a tool which should never have had the capacity to create the kind of imagery we have seen in recent days. Companies must make sure the products they build and make available to the global public are safe by design."

X pulls Grok images after UK ban threat over undress tool

Image generation paywalled on X after ministers and regulators start asking awkward questions Grok has yanked its image-generation toy out of the hands of most X users after the UK government openly weighed a ban over the AI feature that "undressed" people on command. In replies posted to users on X, seen by The Register, the Grok account confirmed that "image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers," a change from the previous setup in which anyone could summon the system by tagging it in a post and asking for a picture. That access helped fuel a grim trend: users uploading photos of clothed people - sometimes underage - and instructing the bot to remove their clothes or pose them in sexualized ways. Grok complied. The rollback comes as governments openly float the idea of banning or boycotting X altogether if it fails to rein in the abuse enabled by its AI tools. In the UK, screenshots of Grok-generated images quickly drew the attention of ministers and regulators, who began questioning whether X is complying with the Online Safety Act. Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips did not mince words, calling the use of Grok to create degrading, non-consensual intimate images "an absolute disgrace," warning that lives can be "devastated" by tools used to harass and abuse women and girls, according to The Times. The government has already committed to banning so-called nudification apps and will become the first country to make it illegal to possess, create, or distribute AI tools designed to generate child sexual abuse material, with penalties of up to five years in prison, according to Phillips. Prime Minister Keir Starmer echoed that line, branding what emerged on Grok as "completely unacceptable" and saying "all options are on the table" when asked whether the government would continue using the platform. "X need to get their act together and get this material down - and we will take action on this because it's simply not tolerable," the PM said, as per The Telegraph. Parliament's women and equalities committee has also signaled it is reconsidering its presence on the platform, saying that a service "actively producing explicit and abusive material against women and children" is not suitable for official communications. Regulators have taken a similarly hard line. Ofcom has warned that platforms that fail to curb illegal or harmful content could face enforcement action and hefty fines under the Online Safety Act, while the Information Commissioner's Office said it is looking into whether data protection laws were breached, particularly where images of real people were altered without their consent. "We are aware of reports raising serious concerns about content produced by Grok," an ICO spokesperson told The Register. "We have contacted X and xAI to seek clarity on the measures they have in place to comply with UK data protection law and protect individuals' rights." X didn't respond to The Register's questions, but insists it takes action against illegal content, including child sexual abuse material, by removing posts, suspending accounts, and cooperating with law enforcement, adding that anyone prompting Grok to create illegal content would face the same consequences as uploading it themselves. While Musk's decision to charge for image generation might thin the herd, it's unlikely to satisfy regulators already asking why the feature was allowed in the first place. ®

Elon Musk's Grok faces global scrutiny for sexualised AI photos

Jan 9 (Reuters) - Governments and regulators from Europe to Asia have condemned and some have opened inquiries into sexually explicit content generated by Elon Musk's xAI chatbot Grok on X, putting pressure on the platform to show what it is doing to prevent and remove illegal content. Grok said late on Thursday it was restricting image generation and editing to paying subscribers after it said on January 2 that it was fixing safeguard lapses after isolated cases in which it produced sexualised outputs, including depictions of minors in minimal clothing. Musk said earlier on X that anyone using Grok to make illegal content would suffer the same consequences as if they uploaded illegal content. Here are some reactions from governments and regulators around the world. EUROPE The European Commission extended on Thursday a retention order sent to X last year to retain and preserve all internal documents and data related to Grok until the end of 2026, amid concern over Grok-generated sexualised "undressed" images. Britain's communications regulator Ofcom said on Monday it had made "urgent contact" with X and xAI and would make a swift assessment of whether the service was meeting its legal duties to protect users under the UK's Online Safety Act framework. In France, government ministers said on January 2 they had referred sexually explicit Grok-generated content circulating on X to prosecutors and also alerted French media regulator Arcom to check the platform's compliance with the European Union's Digital Services Act. Germany's media minister Wolfram Weimer called on the European Commission on Tuesday to take legal steps, saying EU rules provided tools to tackle illegal content and alleging the problem risked turning into the "industrialisation of sexual harassment". Italy's data protection authority warned on Thursday that using AI tools to create "undressed" deepfake imagery of real people without consent could amount to serious privacy violations and, in some cases, criminal offences. Swedish political leaders condemned on Thursday Grok-generated sexualised "undressing" content after reporting that imagery involving Sweden's deputy prime minister was produced from a user prompt. ASIA India's IT Ministry on January 2 sent X a formal notice over alleged Grok-enabled creation or sharing of obscene sexualised images, directing the content to be taken down and requiring a report on the actions being taken within 72 hours. Malaysia's communications regulator MCMC said on January 3 it would summon X and open an investigation into alleged misuse of Grok to generate obscene or sexualised "undressing" content, warning it may involve offences under Section 233 of Malaysia's Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. OCEANIA Australia's online-safety regulator eSafety said on Wednesday it was investigating Grok-generated "digitally undressed" sexualised deepfake images, assessing adult material under its image‑based abuse scheme and noting current child-related examples it had reviewed did not meet the legal threshold for child sexual abuse material under Australian law. Reporting by Hugo Lhomedet in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Musk's Grok chatbot restricts image generation after global backlash to sexualized deepfakes

LONDON (AP) -- Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok is preventing most users from generating or editing any images after a global backlash that erupted after it started spewing sexualized deepfakes of people. The chatbot, which is accessed through Musk's social media platform X, has in the past few weeks been granting a wave of what researchers say are malicious user requests to modify images, including putting women in bikinis or in sexually explicit positions. Researchers have warned that in a few cases, some images appeared to depict children. Governments around the world have condemned the platform and opened investigations into the platform. On Friday, Grok was responding to image altering requests with the message: "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers. You can subscribe to unlock these features." While subscriber numbers for Grok aren't publicly available, there was a noticeable decline in the number of explicit deepfakes that Grok is now generating compared with days earlier. The European Union has slammed Grok for "illegal" and "appalling" behavior, while officials in France, India, Malaysia and a Brazilian lawmaker have called for investigations. On Thursday, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer threatened unspecified action against X. "This is disgraceful. It's disgusting. And it's not to be tolerated," Starmer said on Greatest Hits radio. "X has got to get a grip of this." He said media regulator Ofcom "has our full support to take action" and that "all options" are on the table. "It's disgusting. X need to get their act together and get this material down. We will take action on this because it's simply not tolerable." Ofcom and Britain's privacy regulator both said this week they've contacted X and Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI for information on measures they've taken to comply with British regulations. Grok is free to use for X users, who can ask it questions on the social media platform. They can either tag it in posts they've directly created or in replies to posts from other users. Grok launched in 2023. Last summer the company added an image generator feature, Grok Imagine, that included a so-called "spicy mode" that can generate adult content. The problem is amplified both because Musk pitches his chatbot as an edgier alternative to rivals with more safeguards, and because Grok's images are publicly visible, and can therefore be easily spread.

Elon Musk's Grok AI image editing limited to paid users after deepfakes

Elon Musk's platform X has limited image editing with its AI tool Grok to paying users, after it came under fire for allowing people to make sexualised deepfakes. There has been a significant backlash after the chatbot honoured requests from users to digitally alter images of other people by undressing them without their consent. But Grok is now telling people asking it to make such material that only paid subscribers would be able to do so - meaning their name and payment information must be on file.

Musk's AI bot Grok limits image generation on X to paid users after backlash

Jan 9 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's startup xAI has restricted the image generation function on its Grok chatbot on social media platform X to paid subscribers, after the tool's use of AI to create sexualized images sparked a widespread backlash. The chatbot's image generation had allowed users on X to edit or create sexualized photos, which Reuters found was used to generate images of women and children in minimal clothing, often without the consent of the individuals depicted. A torrent of semi-nude images on X led to European lawmakers urging legal action, with German media minister Wolfram Weimer describing them as the "industrialisation of sexual harassment" and the European Commission calling them illegal. Grok told X users on Friday that image generation and editing features were now available only to paying subscribers. The standalone Grok app, which operates separately from X, still allows users to generate images without a subscription. A Reuters reporter asked Grok on X to convert a picture of himself into one wearing a bikini, echoing what has become a common request over the last week by users. The bot did not do so and posted in reply that the tool was only available to paying subscribers of the social media platform. In what seemed to be an automated response, xAI replied to an emailed Reuters request for comment by saying "Legacy Media Lies". X did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The European Commission said on Monday such images circulating on X were unlawful and appalling, while Britain's data regulator said it had asked the platform to explain how it was complying with data protection laws following concerns that Grok was generating sexually abusive images of women. Musk said last week that anyone using Grok to create illegal content would face the same consequences as uploading such material directly. Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru and Adam Jourdan in London; Editing by Catherine Evans Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Grok's AI CSAM Shitshow

We are experiencing world events like the kidnapping of Maduro through the lens of the most depraved AI you can imagine. Over the last week, users of X realized that they could use Grok to "put a bikini on her," "take her clothes off," and otherwise sexualize images that people uploaded to the site. This went roughly how you would expect: Users have been derobing celebrities, politicians, and random people -- mostly women -- for the last week. This has included underage girls, on a platform that has notoriously gutted its content moderation team and gotten rid of nearly all rules. In an era where big AI companies at least sometimes, occasionally pretend to care about things like copyright and nonconsensual sexual abuse imagery, X has largely shown that it does not, and the feature has essentially taken over the service over the last week. In a brief scroll of the platform I have seen Charlie Kirk edited by Grok to have huge naturals and comically large nipples, screen grab of a woman from TikTok first declothed then, separately, breastfeeding an AI-generated child, and women made to look artificially pregnant. Adult creators have also started posting pictures of themselves and have told people to either Grok or not Grok them, the implication being that people will do it either way and the resulting images could go viral.

Elon Musk's Grok restricts AI image generation on X following outcry over explicit content

The social media platform is facing fines and regulatory action Elon Musk's X is no stranger to controversy, but the platform formerly known as Twitter is facing a massive backlash (alongside potential fines and regulatory action) after users began asking Grok to generate sexualized images of women. In response, the AI chatbot will now limit the use of image generation and editing abilities for the vast majority of users. Over the past couple of weeks, the built-in AI tool was being used to edit images of women, removing their clothes and putting them in sexualized positions. Now, users are finding that when they try to use the tool, they're met with the message: "image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers". There has been no direct comment from Elon Musk or his team at xAI on the issue yet, so it is unclear if the feature will be removed entirely or this is a temporary measure. By making it only available to paying subscribers, xAI does heavily limit usage of the tool and de-anonymize it (paying users input credit card information linked to their identity) but it's unlikely to quell the controversy. This all began last week when dozens of users began documenting examples and personal experiences of Grok transforming their images into something sexualized. It then didn't take long for this to reach legal and regulatory bodies. Since the controversy first arose, there have been calls from the European Commission for X to keep Grok documents longer to try and make the platform more accountable from a compliance standpoint. Meanwhile, France has branded the practice illegal, while Ireland, India and a number of international charities have also condemned it. However, the biggest concern so far has seemingly come from the U.K. Ofcom, the U.K.'s regulator for communication services, confirmed it had "made urgent contact with X and xAI to understand what steps they have taken to comply with their legal duties to protect users in the UK. Based on their response, we will undertake a swift assessment to determine whether there are potential compliance issues that warrant investigation". Under the U.K.'s Online Safety Act, Ofcom has the power to, in serious cases, block a website or app in the U.K., as well as impose fines of up to 10% of a company's global turnover. While blocking the site seems unlikely, Musk could certainly see a heavy fine implemented if things don't change. According to Copyleaks, an AI-manipulated media detection and governance platform monitoring Grok's feed, hundreds, possibly thousands, of examples of these sexualized deepfakes now exist on the Grok website. While Elon Musk hasn't directly addressed the controversies, he did respond to another user's X post, stating: "Anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content." This was then reposted by the Safety account on X, with an additional message stating "We take action against illegal content on X, including Child Sexual Abuse Material, by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary". The laws and rules are still growing in this area, and there can be confusion as to where responsibility lies. While the user who created the content would be criminally responsible, both X and Grok are linked in the process. This will mean that, as government and regulatory bodies crack down, Musk and his team will need to prove that they are cooperating and willing to help solve this issue going forward.

Elon Musk's Grok App Restricts AI Image Editing Tool After Backlash

Elon Musk's AI company xAI has restricted the image generation and editing functions of its Grok chatbot on X to paying subscribers, following a backlash over the tool's use to undress women. The move came after threats of regulatory action, potential fines, and discussion of a possible ban on X in the U.K. and elsewhere. Until recently, Grok's image editing tools were available to most users on X. Almost immediately after the tool was rolled out, which appears on all photos on the platform, users began manipulating photos of women -- often without consent -- by removing clothing, placing them in sexualized poses or depicting violence. "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers," Grok posted today (Friday). It means the vast majority of users can no longer create images through Grok on the platform. Those who retain access are subscribers whose identities and payment details are held by X, making them easier to identify if the feature is misused. The public @Grok account has also had its image generation capabilities heavily restricted. However, The Guardian reports that concerns remain about the separate Grok app, which operates independently of X and does not share images publicly. Non-paying users have reported that the app still allows the generation of sexualized imagery, including images of women and children. The controversy has prompted political and regulatory responses across Europe. In the U.K., Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned of strong action against X, calling on the company to "get a grip" on what he described as a surge of AI-generated images of partly clothed women and children. He called the content "disgraceful" and "disgusting." Under the U.K.'s Online Safety Act, the regulator Ofcom has powers to impose fines of up to 10% of a company's global turnover and, in serious cases, seek court orders to block websites or apps in the U.K. Starmer said Ofcom "has our full support to take action in relation to this". Musk has said that anyone using Grok to create illegal content would face the same consequences as if they uploaded such material directly. When asked for comment by Reuters, xAI responded with an automated email stating: "Legacy Media Lies."

Grok turns off image generator for most users after outcry over sexualised AI imagery

X to limit editing function to paying subscribers after platform threatened with fines and regulatory action Grok, Elon Musk's AI tool, has switched off its image creation function for the vast majority of users after widespread outcry over its use to create sexually explicit and violent imagery. It comes after Musk was threatened with fines, regulatory action and reports of a possible ban on X in the UK. The tool had been used to manipulate images of women to remove their clothes and put them in sexualised positions. The function to do so has now been switched off except for paying subscribers. Posting on X, Musk's social media network, Grok said: "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers." This means the vast majority of users of the platform cannot create images using Grok, and those who do have their full details and credit card information stored by X, so can be identified if the function is misused. Research revealed by the Guardian found it had been used to create pornographic videos of women without their consent as well as images of women being shot and killed. Musk is facing the threat of regulatory action from around the world after Grok was used to create nonconsensual sexual imagery. Keir Starmer, the UK prime minister, on Wednesday threatened to take strong action against the social media company. He demanded X "get a grip" of the deluge of AI-created photos of partially clothed women and children on the platform, describing the content as "disgraceful" and "disgusting". Starmer said the communications regulator Ofcom "has our full support to take action in relation to this" He added: "It's unlawful. We're not going to tolerate it. I've asked for all options to be on the table. It's disgusting. X need to get their act together and get this material down. We will take action on this because it's simply not tolerable." Thousands of sexualised images of women have been created without their consent over the past two weeks, after the Grok image creation feature was updated at the end of December. Musk has faced repeated public calls to remove or restrict the feature, but until now the social media app has not acted.

Elon Musk restricts Grok's image tools following a wave of non-consensual deepfakes | Fortune

"Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers," Grok announced via X on Friday. The restriction means the vast majority of users can no longer access the feature. Paying, verified subscribers with credit card details on file can still do so, but theoretically they can be identified more easily if the function is misused. Some experts aren't convinced that the new restrictions will fix the now widespread problem. "The argument that providing user details and payment methods will help identify perpetrators also isn't convincing, given how easy it is to provide false info and use temporary payment methods," Henry Ajder, a UK-based deepfakes expert, told Fortune. "The logic here is also reactive: it is supposed to help identify offenders after content has been generated, but it doesn't represent any alignment or meaningful limitations to the model itself." X did not immediately respond to Fortune's request for comment, xAI responded with the automated message: "Legacy Media Lies." Over the past week real women have been targeted at scale with users manipulating photos to remove clothing, place subjects in bikinis, or position them in sexually explicit scenarios without their consent. Some victims reported feeling violated and disturbed by the trend, with many saying their reports to X went unanswered and images remained live on the platform. Researchers said the scale at which Grok was producing and sharing images was unprecedented as, unlike other AI bots, Grok essentially has a built-in distribution system in the X platform. One researcher, whose analysis was published by Bloomberg, estimated that X has become the most prolific site for deepfakes over the last week. Genevieve Oh, a social media and deepfake researcher who conducted a 24-hour analysis of images the @Grok account posted to X, found that the chatbot was producing roughly 6,700 sexually suggestive or nudifying images per hour. By comparison, the five other leading websites for sexualized deepfakes averaged 79 new AI undressing images hourly during the same period. Oh's research also found that sexualized content dominated Grok's output, accounting for 85% of all images the chatbot generated. Ashley St. Clair, a conservative commentator and mother of one of Musk's children, was among those affected by the images. St. Clair told Fortune that users were turning images on her X profile into explicit AI-generated photos of her, including some she said depicted her as a minor. After speaking out against the images and raising concerns about deepfakes on minors, St Clair also said X took away her verified, paying subscribers status without notifying her or refunding her for the $8 per month fee. "Restricting it to the paid-only user shows that they're going to double down on this, placing an undue burden on the victims to report to law enforcement and law enforcement to use their resources to track these people down," Ashley St Clair said of the recent restrictions. "It's also a money grab." St Clair said that many of the accounts targeting her were already verified users: "It's not effective at all," she said. "This is just in anticipation of more law enforcement inquiries regarding Grok image generation." The move to limit Grok's capabilities comes amid mounting pressure from regulators worldwide. In the U.K., Prime Minister Keir Starmer has indicated he is open to banning the platform entirely, describing the content as "disgraceful" and "disgusting." Regulators in India, Malaysia, and France have also launched investigations or probes. The European Commission on Thursday ordered X to preserve all internal documents and data related to Grok, stepping up its investigation into the platform's content moderation practices after describing the spread of nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfakes as "illegal," "appalling," and "disgusting." Experts say the new restrictions may not satisfy regulators' concerns: "This approach is a blunt instrument that doesn't address the root of the problem with Grok's alignment and likely won't cut it with regulators," Ajder said. "Limiting functionality to paying users will not stop the generation of this content; a month's subscription is not a robust solution." In the U.S., the situation is also likely to test existing laws, like Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields online providers from liability for content created by users. Riana Pfefferkorn of Stanford's Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence previously told Fortune that liability surrounding AI-generated images is murky. "We have this situation where for the first time, it is the platform itself that is at scale generating non-consensual pornography of adults and minors alike," she said. "From a liability perspective as well as a PR perspective, the CSAM laws pose the biggest potential liability risk here." Musk has previously stated that "anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content." However, it remains unclear how accounts will be held accountable.

Elon Musk puts Grok's 'spicy mode' behind a paywall

Elon Musk's startup xAI has limited the image generation tool on its Grok chatbot to paying subscribers of social media platform X. It follows a wave of backlash this week over Grok being used to create sexualized and non-consensual images including depictions of women and children, in what X has previously referred to as "spicy mode." When Reuters asked to generate an edited image of a reporter in a bikini, Grok replied that the feature was now only available to paying users, the outlet reported on Friday. While the move may be intended to limit the pace of X users generating sexualized images, Grok's standalone app still allows image creation without a subscription, raising doubts about whether the company is addressing the root problem. Restricting Grok's image-generation tool to paying subscribers makes creating deepfakes a "premium service" and is "not a solution," a spokesperson for the UK prime minister said Friday, adding that the move is "insulting" to victims of misogyny and sexual violence. Grok is built by xAI, Musk's artificial-intelligence startup, and tightly integrated into X -- a platform Musk has repeatedly framed as a buttress of free speech and limited moderation. That has made Grok popular among users frustrated with more tightly constrained AI tools, and has made the bot a stress test for how unbridled AI behaves at scale, with users tagging Grok directly in posts to generate or edit images in real time. But the fallout has been international, with European lawmakers condemning the tool and urging legal action. The UK's telecommunications regulator Ofcom said on Monday it was aware of "serious concerns" raised about the feature. "We have made urgent contact with X and xAI to understand what steps they have taken to comply with their legal duties to protect users in the UK," a spokesperson said in a statement shared on X. "This is not spicy. This is illegal. This is appalling. This is disgusting. This is how we see it, and this has no place in Europe," European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier told reporters on Monday. Germany's media minister Wolfram Weimer described the phenomenon as the "industrialization of sexual harassment."

Grok turns off AI image generation for non-payers after nudes backlash

Washington (United States) (AFP) - Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok has turned off its image creation feature for non-paying users following backlash over its use to create sexualized deepfakes of women and children. Musk has been threatened with fines, and several countries have recently pushed back publicly against the tool over its creation of the sexually explicit imagery. Some users reportedly used Grok to generate pictures of women and children undressed, sometimes putting them in sexualized positions. Replying to users Friday on Musk's social media platform X, Grok posted: "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers. You can subscribe to unlock these features." The change means many of the tool's users can no longer generate or edit images using the AI. Paying customers must give the platform their credit card information and personal details. The European Commission this week said the photos of undressed women and children were unlawful and on Thursday ordered X to retain all internal documents and data related to Grok until the end of 2026. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said X has "got to get a grip of this" and noted he asked communications regulator Ofcom "for all options to be on the table," according to media reports. He called the images "unlawful" and said Britain was "not going to tolerate it." France, Malaysia and India have also criticized Musk's platform over the issue. "Anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content," Musk wrote on X last week in response to a post about the explicit images. X's official "Safety" account subsequently said it addresses illegal content on X "by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary."

Grok limits image generation after backlash over sexualised deepfakes

The chatbot has been under fire over the past two weeks for generating sexually-explicit deepfakes of women and minors. Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok is preventing most users from generating or editing any images after a global backlash that erupted after it started spewing sexualised deepfakes, mostly of women. The chatbot, which can be accessed through Musk's social media platform X, has in the past few weeks been granting a wave of what researchers say are malicious user requests to modify images, including putting women in bikinis or in sexually explicit positions. Researchers have warned that in a few cases, some images appeared to depict children. Governments around the world have condemned the platform and opened investigations into the platform. On Friday, Grok was responding to image altering requests with the message: "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers. You can subscribe to unlock these features." While subscriber numbers for Grok aren't publicly available, there was a noticeable decline in the number of explicit deepfakes that Grok is now generating compared with days earlier. Among the official government responses, the European Union has slammed Grok for "illegal" and "appalling" behaviour, while officials in France, India, Malaysia and a Brazilian lawmaker have called for investigations. On Thursday, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer threatened unspecified action against X. "This is disgraceful. It's disgusting. And it's not to be tolerated," Starmer said on Greatest Hits radio. "X has got to get a grip of this." He said Britain's media regulator Ofcom "has our full support to take action" and that "all options" are on the table. "It's disgusting. X need to get their act together and get this material down. We will take action on this because it's simply not tolerable." Ofcom and Britain's privacy regulator both said this week they've contacted X and Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI for information on measures they've taken to comply with British regulations. Grok is free to use for X users, who can ask it questions directly on the social media platform. They can either tag it in posts they've created or in replies to posts from other users. Grok launched in 2023. Last summer the company added an image generator feature, Grok Imagine, which included a so-called "spicy mode" allowing users to generate adult content. The problem has been amplified both because Musk pitches his chatbot as an edgier alternative to rivals with more safeguards, and because Grok's images are publicly visible and can therefore be easily spread across the internet.

Sickening Photo Trend on X Sees Women's Clothing Being Removed by Grok

At the beginning of this week, PetaPixel reported that Elon Musk's X had rolled out a controversial new feature allowing users to edit any photo on the platform without asking permission. Within days, the new tool has been abused -- and it is women who are being targeted. British journalist Samantha Smith shared a screenshot in which an anonymous user had requested that Grok, X's AI bot, remove her clothing and put her in a bikini. "How is this not illegal?" Smith writes. Smith followed up this post by saying: "I've seen countless comments asking Grok to edit images of children in disgusting ways." She calls the trend "sick." As of Friday, many more women are speaking up about this issue. Australian rapper Iggy Azalea said, "Grok seriously needs to go." Indian politician Priyanka Chaturvedi has written a letter to her government about this issue. "Have sought urgent attention and intervention of Hon. IT Minister to take the issue of increasing incidents of AI apps being prompted to sexualise and undress women by unauthorised use of their images on social media. There have to be guardrails put in place by features such as Grok that do not violate women's dignity, big tech firms need to take the onus," she writes on X. The bikini trend began with famous figures; Musk himself asked Grok to put him in a bikini. But it quickly snowballed to non-famous people. Digit reports that there have been instances where users have been uploading photos that weren't on the platform just so they can ask it for a bikini picture. Some people have attempted to defend the trend by saying that there are plenty of other "nudify" apps on the internet. But as I wrote on Monday, "while any picture posted on the internet can potentially be manipulated or edited with AI tools, the convenience of X's latest tool is clearly a concern." At the time, I was writing about concern for photographers and artists whose work could be changed without authorization. But it has become something far more sinister. X will hopefully rein Grok in.

Grok AI: is it legal to produce or post undressed images of people without their consent?

Deluge of 'nudified' images on social media platform X raises questions about regulation of use of AI technologies The deluge of images of partly clothed women - stripped by the Grok AI tool - on Elon Musk's X has raised further questions over regulation of the technology. Is it legal to produce these images without the subject's consent? Should they be taken off X? In the UK alone there is some doubt over the answers to these queries. Social media regulation is a nascent area, let alone trying to control the deployment of artificial intelligence. There are laws in place to tackle the problem, such as the Online Safety Act, but the government has yet to introduce additional measures such as banning nudifying apps.

Image editing on Grok limited on X after users prompt AI deepfakes

The image editing ability is now limited only to paid subscribers on X. After thousands of user requests prompted Grok AI to nonconsensually 'nudify' people - including children - on X, the social media platform has decided to limit the chatbot's image editing capabilities to paid users. Elon Musk's xAI outfitted Grok with the ability to edit images on 24 December. And in the few short weeks since, users on X began prompting the chatbot to undress people in pictures and videos. However, now Grok is telling users asking for image editing that only paid subscribers to X would be able to generate these results. This means that the users utilising this tool would have their name and financial details on record. But this does not stop users from requesting Grok to edit such images on its standalone website and app. In addition, this could also incentivise X users to subscribe for access. Grok users gained access to the 'Spicy' mode in August which led to user-generated porn and violent content that other AI models were restricted from creating. However, the new single-prompt image editing feature on Grok allowed users to create sexualised content and deepfakes with relative ease, amplifying harassment and abuse on the platform. "Grok, take this photo and put her in a bikini", "Grok take off her dress" were some of the popular prompts seen on the platform. Grok's image editing capabilities have prompted sharp responses from global leaders. Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence Niamh Smyth has requested a meeting with X over concerns around Grok. While in a statement yesterday (8 January), Coimisiún na Meán said that it is engaging with the European Commission over Grok. The media watchdog is also engaging with An Garda Síochána over the matter. "The sharing of non-consensual intimate images is illegal, and the generation of child sexual abuse material is illegal," it said. Grok's loose restraints and user action on X could put the platform under fire in the EU. Though this wouldn't be the platform's first brush up against the legislation. Last November, Coimisiún na Meán launched a fresh DSA investigation into X. Earlier this year, reports suggested that the EU was readying to fine the social platform more than $1bn over its potential failures to adhere to risk management, content moderation and transparency needs. The penalty, however, has not materialised yet. Don't miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic's digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.

X Limits Grok Image Tools to Paid Users After Global Govt Backlash | AIM

The move follows widespread government backlash over how Grok was being misused on the platform. xAI has restricted the image-generation features of its AI model, Grok, to paid subscribers. The change was revealed through Grok's own responses to user prompts on X. The move follows widespread government backlash over how Grok was being misused on the platform. Users on X were editing uploaded images through Grok to fulfil obscene requests. These requests were made by tagging the @grok bot, which generated and posted the edited images directly to the public feed. The issue escalated because the generated images were publicly visible and often involved explicit sexual content. In several cases, the requests targeted real individuals, raising concerns around consent, harassment, and the circulation of non-consensual explicit material. As a result, multiple countries -- including the United Kingdom, India, Malaysia, France, and Ireland -- sent notices to Elon Musk's social media platform. These notices called for investigations into the generation and spread of inappropriate and obscene AI-generated images on X. Data shared by AI detection firm Copyleaks highlights the scale of the problem. According to the firm, users requested the creation of obscene images at a rate of roughly once per minute over a 24-hour period. Separately, Reuters reported that in a five-minute window, 102 requests were made to Grok to generate explicit images. The AI model complied with approximately one in five of those requests. Having said that, X stated in a comment that the company will 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." "Anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content." A few days ago, India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) intervened and issued a notice to X, directing it to remove obscene content and flagging concerns over the misuse of Grok. In a letter addressed to X's Chief Compliance Officer for India, the Ministry flagged that Grok was being exploited by users to create fake accounts that host, generate, publish, or share obscene images and videos of women in a derogatory and vulgar manner. The company was given time until February 7th to submit a detailed report. However, a report from The Times of India states that the ministry is not fully satisfied with the company's initial response, and is "likely to seek clearer, step-by-step details on corrective measures the platform plan to implement."

Grok AI image editing limited to paid subscribers after reports of deepfakes

The change comes after the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) warned criminals used Grok to create child sexual abuse imagery. Image editing on X's Grok AI tool has been limited to paid subscribers, according to a message displayed by the chatbot. Users were able to upload a picture and ask Grok to alter the image, but the AI system now replies to requests with this message: "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers." If the change has been limited to X subscribers, it would mean the company would have the name and payment details of those using the function on file. It comes after the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) warned criminals used Grok to create child sexual abuse imagery. "Following reports that the AI chatbot Grok has generated sexual imagery of children, we can confirm our analysts have discovered criminal imagery of children aged between 11 and 13 which appears to have been created using the tool," said Ngaire Alexander, head of hotline at the IWF. X and xAI, both owned by billionaire Elon Musk, have come under fire in recent days after numerous users, mainly women, posted saying they had seen AI-generated sexual images of themselves on X. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called said it was "disgraceful" and "disgusting". He told X to "get their act together" and "get a grip on this". On Wednesday, Musk said a new version of Grok had been released and urged users to update their app, although it was not immediately clear what updates the new version contained. The tech tycoon has previously insisted "anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they uploaded illegal content". X has said it takes action against illegal content, including child sexual abuse material, "by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary".

EU and UK eye investigations into X over Grok's lack of safeguards

For the past two weeks, the platform X has experienced a flood of non-consensual AI-manipulated nude images generated by xAI's Grok chatbot. These images target an alarming range of women, including prominent models, actresses, news figures, crime victims, and world leaders, due to the model's release without safeguards. A research paper published by Copyleaks on December 31 estimated that roughly one such image appeared on X each minute. Subsequent tests revealed a much higher volume. Data collected from a sample gathered between January 5 and 6 showed 6,700 images posted per hour across a 24-hour period. This rate equates to more than 160,000 images daily, highlighting the scale of the activity on the platform during that timeframe. Public figures worldwide have criticized the decision to launch the Grok model without protective measures against such misuse. Regulators face limited clear mechanisms to control the image-manipulating system developed by Elon Musk's xAI. The situation underscores challenges in overseeing advanced AI deployments on social media platforms. On Thursday, the European Commission directed xAI to preserve all documents related to its Grok chatbot. This preservation order serves as a standard step often preceding a formal investigation, though it does not confirm one has begun. The directive carries added weight following a CNN report indicating that Elon Musk personally intervened to block safeguards on Grok's image-generation features. Details remain unavailable on whether X implemented any technical modifications to the Grok model in response to the issue. One visible change involves the removal of the public media tab from Grok's X account, which previously displayed generated content. On January 3, X's Safety account issued a statement condemning the use of AI tools for producing child sexual imagery. The post stated verbatim, "Anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content." This message echoed a prior tweet from Elon Musk on the same topic. The United Kingdom's Ofcom released a statement on Monday confirming contact with xAI. The regulator announced it "will undertake a swift assessment to determine whether there are potential compliance issues that warrant investigation." In a radio interview on Thursday, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the phenomenon as "disgraceful" and "disgusting." He affirmed, "Ofcom has our full support to take action in relation to this." Australian eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant addressed the matter in a LinkedIn post. She reported that her office observed a doubling in complaints related to Grok since late 2025. Inman-Grant indicated, "We will use the range of regulatory tools at our disposal to investigate and take appropriate action."

Musk's Grok chatbot restricts image generation after global backlash to sexualized deepfakes

LONDON (AP) -- Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok is preventing most users from generating or editing any images after a global backlash that erupted after it started spewing sexualized deepfakes of people. The chatbot, which is accessed through Musk's social media platform X, has in the past few weeks been granting a wave of what researchers say are malicious user requests to modify images, including putting women in bikinis or in sexually explicit positions. Researchers have warned that in a few cases, some images appeared to depict children. Governments around the world have condemned the platform and opened investigations into the platform. On Friday, Grok was responding to image altering requests with the message: "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers. You can subscribe to unlock these features." While subscriber numbers for Grok aren't publicly available, there was a noticeable decline in the number of explicit deepfakes that Grok is now generating compared with days earlier. The European Union has slammed Grok for "illegal" and "appalling" behavior, while officials in France, India, Malaysia and a Brazilian lawmaker have called for investigations. On Thursday, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer threatened unspecified action against X. "This is disgraceful. It's disgusting. And it's not to be tolerated," Starmer said on Greatest Hits radio. "X has got to get a grip of this." He said media regulator Ofcom "has our full support to take action" and that "all options" are on the table. "It's disgusting. X need to get their act together and get this material down. We will take action on this because it's simply not tolerable." Ofcom and Britain's privacy regulator both said this week they've contacted X and Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI for information on measures they've taken to comply with British regulations. Grok is free to use for X users, who can ask it questions on the social media platform. They can either tag it in posts they've directly created or in replies to posts from other users. Grok launched in 2023. Last summer the company added an image generator feature, Grok Imagine, that included a so-called "spicy mode" that can generate adult content. The problem is amplified both because Musk pitches his chatbot as an edgier alternative to rivals with more safeguards, and because Grok's images are publicly visible, and can therefore be easily spread.

Musk's Grok chatbot restricts image generation after global backlash to sexualized deepfakes

LONDON -- Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok is preventing most users from generating or editing any images after a global backlash that erupted after it started spewing sexualized deepfakes of people. The chatbot, which is accessed through Musk's social media platform X, has in the past few weeks been granting a wave of what researchers say are malicious user requests to modify images, including putting women in bikinis or in sexually explicit positions. Researchers have warned that in a few cases, some images appeared to depict children. Governments around the world have condemned the platform and opened investigations into the platform. On Friday, Grok was responding to image altering requests with the message: "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers. You can subscribe to unlock these features." While subscriber numbers for Grok aren't publicly available, there was a noticeable decline in the number of explicit deepfakes that Grok is now generating compared with days earlier. The European Union has slammed Grok for "illegal" and "appalling" behavior, while officials in France, India, Malaysia and a Brazilian lawmaker have called for investigations. On Thursday, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer threatened unspecified action against X. "This is disgraceful. It's disgusting. And it's not to be tolerated," Starmer said on Greatest Hits radio. "X has got to get a grip of this." He said media regulator Ofcom "has our full support to take action" and that "all options" are on the table. "It's disgusting. X need to get their act together and get this material down. We will take action on this because it's simply not tolerable." Ofcom and Britain's privacy regulator both said this week they've contacted X and Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI for information on measures they've taken to comply with British regulations. Grok is free to use for X users, who can ask it questions on the social media platform. They can either tag it in posts they've directly created or in replies to posts from other users. Grok launched in 2023. Last summer the company added an image generator feature, Grok Imagine, that included a so-called "spicy mode" that can generate adult content. The problem is amplified both because Musk pitches his chatbot as an edgier alternative to rivals with more safeguards, and because Grok's images are publicly visible, and can therefore be easily spread.

Factbox-Elon Musk's Grok Faces Global Scrutiny for Sexualised AI Photos

Jan 9 (Reuters) - Governments and regulators from Europe to Asia have condemned and some have opened inquiries into sexually explicit content generated by Elon Musk's xAI chatbot Grok on X, putting pressure on the platform to show what it is doing to prevent and remove illegal content. Grok said late on Thursday it was restricting image generation and editing to paying subscribers after it said on January 2 that it was fixing safeguard lapses after isolated cases in which it produced sexualised outputs, including depictions ⁠of minors in minimal clothing. Musk said earlier on X that anyone using Grok to make illegal content would suffer the same consequences as if they uploaded illegal content. Here are some reactions from governments and regulators around the world. EUROPE The European Commission extended on Thursday a retention order sent to X last year to retain and preserve all internal documents and data related to Grok until the end of 2026, amid concern over Grok-generated sexualised "undressed" images. Britain's communications regulator Ofcom said on Monday it had made "urgent contact" with X ⁠and xAI and would make a swift assessment of whether the service was meeting its legal duties to protect users under the UK's Online Safety Act framework. In France, government ministers said on January 2 they had referred sexually explicit Grok-generated content circulating on X to prosecutors and also alerted French media regulator Arcom to check the platform's compliance with the European Union's Digital Services Act. Germany's media minister Wolfram Weimer called on the European Commission on Tuesday to take legal steps, saying EU rules provided tools to tackle illegal content and alleging the problem risked turning into the "industrialisation of sexual harassment". Italy's data protection authority warned on Thursday that using AI tools to create "undressed" deepfake imagery of real people without consent could amount to serious privacy violations and, in some cases, criminal offences. Swedish political leaders condemned on Thursday Grok-generated sexualised "undressing" content after reporting that imagery involving Sweden's deputy prime minister was produced from a user prompt. ASIA India's IT Ministry on January 2 sent X a formal notice over alleged Grok-enabled creation or sharing of obscene sexualised images, directing the content to be taken down and requiring a report on the actions being taken within 72 hours. Malaysia's communications regulator MCMC said on January 3 it would summon X and open an investigation into alleged misuse of Grok to generate obscene or sexualised "undressing" content, warning it may involve offences under Section 233 of Malaysia's Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. OCEANIA Australia's online-safety regulator eSafety said on Wednesday it was investigating Grok-generated "digitally undressed" sexualised deepfake images, assessing adult material under its image‑based abuse scheme and noting current child-related examples it had reviewed did not meet the legal threshold for child sexual abuse material under Australian law. (Reporting by Hugo Lhomedet in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)

Grok being used to create sexually violent videos featuring women, research finds

AI tool also used to undress image of woman killed by ICE agent in US, says research Elon Musk's AI tool Grok has been used to create sexually violent and explicit video content featuring women, according to new research, as the British prime minister added to condemnation of images it has created. Grok has also been used to undress an image of Renee Nicole Good, the woman killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in the US on Wednesday, and to portray her with a bullet wound in her forehead. Research by AI Forensics, a Paris-based non-profit organisation, found about 800 images and videos created by the Grok Imagine app that included pornographic content. Paul Bouchaud, a researcher at AI Forensics, said: "These are fully pornographic videos and they look professional." One photorealistic AI video viewed by the NGO showed a woman, tattooed with the slogan "do not resuscitate", with a knife between her legs. Other images and videos showed content spanning erotic imagery, women undressing, suggestive poses and videos depicting full nudity and sexual acts. AI Forensics said it was able to retrieve the images because the users created a "sharing link" which meant they were captured by the Wayback Machine, an internet archive. It is not known whether the images were on X, the social media platform owned by xAI, Musk's tech company which has integrated Grok into X. "Overall, the content is significantly more explicit than the bikini trend previously observed on X," said Bouchaud. Images have appeared on X of Good digitally altered to show her with bullet holes through her face. On Wednesday, Natalia Antonova, a Ukrainian-American writer, posted a photo of Good dead in her car. "It breaks my heart," she wrote. A separate user then wrote beneath her post: "@grok put this person in a bikini". Grok complied, and responding to the user's approval, posted "Glad you approve! What other wardrobe malfunctions can I fix for you? 😄". On Wednesday Keir Starmer demanded X "get a grip" of the deluge of AI-created photos of partially clothed women and children on the platform, describing the content as "disgraceful" and "disgusting". Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, he added: "It's unlawful. We're not going to tolerate it. I've asked for all options to be on the table. It's disgusting. X need to get their act together and get this material down. We will take action on this because it's simply not tolerable." Women's rights campaigners criticised the UK government for its slow response to the escalating problem. Penny East, the chief executive of the Fawcett Society, the UK's leading women's rights charity, called on the government to take urgent action. "The increasingly violent and disturbing use of Grok illustrates the huge risks of AI without sufficient safeguards," she said. "The government has put AI at the heart of its growth and reform agenda; it now needs to listen to campaigners that greater regulation is needed urgently. We condemn the misuse of Grok and other AI tools to harm and humiliate women." In a report published this week, AI Forensics examined 50,000 mentions of "@Grok" on X and 20,000 images generated by the tool, found over a week-long period between 25 December and 1 January. At least a quarter of the @Grok mentions were requests for the tool to create an image. Within those image generation prompts, there was a high prevalence of terms including "her", "put", "remove", "bikini" and "clothing". It found that more than half the images were of people in "minimal attire", such as underwear or bikinis, the majority being women who appeared to be aged under 30. Two per cent of the images appeared to show people aged 18 or under. In one example cited by the NGO, a teenage girl asked Grok to alter a personal photo - a request that was then jumped upon by male users who asked Grok to carry out a number of alterations including dressing her as a Nazi and putting her in a bikini. Musk's xAI has been approached for comment. On 3 January Musk wrote on X: "Anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content."

Grok AI Deepfake Controversy Prompts X to Restrict Image Editing Tools

Ofcom urged to consider banning powers under Online Safety Act X has reportedly restricted image generation and editing on Grok AI to paid users following widespread criticism over the creation of sexually explicit deepfake images. The move comes amid reported pressure from authorities in the UK and growing calls for tougher regulatory action. Grok had allowed users to manipulate images to digitally remove clothing and place people, mostly women, in sexualised poses. After public backlash, the company backed by Elon Musk is said to have limited these features to subscribers. Ofcom Urged to Block X in the UK Over Unlawful AI Images The Guardian reports that most users can no longer generate or edit images using Grok on X. Paid subscribers, whose identities and payment details are held by the platform, retain access. Non-paying users can still use image editing tools through Grok's separate app and website. Meanwhile, the BBC reported that the decision followed threats of fines, regulatory action, and possible restrictions on X in the UK. Government sources told the broadcaster that they expect Ofcom to use all available powers in response to concerns over unlawful AI-generated images. Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom can reportedly seek court orders to limit access to platforms or restrict their ability to operate in the UK. The BBC said it has approached the regulator for comment. The report noted that Grok is generally free to use and can be tagged in posts or replies. However, users had been able to request image edits that digitally removed clothing. Some women affected by such edits told the BBC they felt humiliated and dehumanised. As of Friday morning, the BBC observed that Grok informed users attempting to edit images that the feature is now limited to subscribers and encouraged them to sign up. Accounts with X's paid verification badge appeared to be the only ones able to successfully request image edits.

Grok turns off AI image generation for non-payers after nudes backlash - The Economic Times

Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok has turned off its image creation feature for non-paying users following backlash over its use to create sexualized deepfakes of women and children. Some users reportedly used Grok to generate pictures of women and children undressed, sometimes putting them in sexualized positions.Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok has turned off its image creation feature for non-paying users following backlash over its use to create sexualized deepfakes of women and children. Musk has been threatened with fines, and several countries have recently pushed back publicly against the tool over its creation of the sexually explicit imagery. Some users reportedly used Grok to generate pictures of women and children undressed, sometimes putting them in sexualized positions. Replying to users Friday on Musk's social media platform X, Grok posted: "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers. You can subscribe to unlock these features." The change means many of the tool's users can no longer generate or edit images using the AI. Paying customers must give the platform their credit card information and personal details. The European Commission this week said the photos of undressed women and children were unlawful and on Thursday ordered X to retain all internal documents and data related to Grok until the end of 2026. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said X has "got to get a grip of this" and noted he asked communications regulator Ofcom "for all options to be on the table," according to media reports. He called the images "unlawful" and said Britain was "not going to tolerate it." France, Malaysia and India have also criticized Musk's platform over the issue. "Anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content," Musk wrote on X last week in response to a post about the explicit images. X's official "Safety" account subsequently said it addresses illegal content on X "by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary."

Musk's AI Bot Grok Limits Image Generation on X to Paid Users After Backlash

Jan 9 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's startup xAI has restricted the image generation function on its Grok chatbot on social media platform X to paid subscribers, after the tool's use of AI to create sexualized images sparked a widespread backlash. The chatbot's image generation had allowed users on X to edit or create sexualized photos, which Reuters found was ⁠used to generate images of women and children in minimal clothing, often without the consent of the individuals depicted. A torrent of semi-nude images on X led to European lawmakers urging legal action, with German media minister Wolfram Weimer describing them as the "industrialisation of sexual harassment" and the European Commission calling them illegal. Grok told X users on Friday that image ⁠generation and editing features were now available only to paying subscribers. The standalone Grok app, which operates separately from X, still allows users to generate images without a subscription. A Reuters reporter asked Grok on X to convert a picture of himself into one wearing a bikini, echoing what has become a common request over the last week by users. The bot did not do so and posted in reply that the tool was only available to paying subscribers of the social media platform. In what seemed to be an automated response, xAI replied to an emailed Reuters request for comment by saying "Legacy Media Lies". X did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The European Commission said on Monday such images circulating on X were unlawful and appalling, while Britain's data regulator said it had asked the platform to explain how it was complying with data protection laws following concerns that Grok was generating sexually abusive images of women. Musk said last week that anyone using Grok to create illegal content would face the same consequences as uploading such material directly. (Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru and Adam Jourdan in London; Editing by Catherine Evans)

Elon Musk Responds to Grok Image Generation Abuse By Making It a Paid Feature

X premium subscribers with a blue checkmark can still use image generation and continue to create non-consensual deepfakes. Elon Musk's xAI has turned off Grok's image generation feature on X for free users, as a response to the ongoing backlash over the AI being used to create explicit images of minor and women without their consent. As of Friday morning, only paid subscribers of X have access to this feature. According to a report by The Guardian, X has silently made the Grok image generation a paid feature. This means that anyone trying to tag Grok and asking it to undress someone, or manipulate an image, will now see this reply from the AI chatbot, "image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers." Only paid X premium subscribers with a blue tick will be able to use Grok's image generation capabilities. This will surely limit the misuse of Grok AI to morph images of women and children and show them in a revealing bikini. It has become a platform-wide abuse, as the AI does not require any consent from the original poster. Many women have been calling out X for this digital abuse. The UK Government has recently told regulators to consider all options including banning the app effectively to curb this ongoing harassment of users. Earlier this week, xAI CEO Elon Musk also made a statement, "Anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content." Many women on X are celebrating this as a victory. However, what puts me off about this is that Musk has essentially turned the online harassment into a paid luxury. The platform has still not implemented any guardrails on the AI itself. So subscribers can still undress anyone they like to using Grok's image generation capabilities.

X Limits AI Chatbot Grok's Image Generation, Editing to Subs After Uproar Over Sexualized Deepfakes

UTA Revenue Growth Disclosed in London, Where Sports Is a Major Driver of Agency Business Grok, the AI chatbot created by xAI, the artificial intelligence company founded by and majority-owned by Elon Musk, has switched off its image creation and editing function for most users after an uproar over sexualized and violent imagery created with it. "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers," Grok replied to users of Musk's X attempting to create images on Friday. The restriction comes amid threats of fines or even an outright ban on X in the U.K. Keir Starmer, the U.K. Prime Minister and Labour Party leader, urged X mid-week to "get a grip" of a flood of AI-manipulated photos on the social platform that removed clothing or of women and children or put them in sexualized positions, decrying them as "disgraceful" and "disgusting." In what was seen as a threat of a possible X ban, he emphasized that U.K. communications regulator Ofcom "has our full support to take action in relation to this." The Guardian reported that its research found that Grok had been used to "create pornographic videos of women without their consent, as well as images of women being shot and killed." The U.K.'s Online Safety Act gives Ofcom the power to seek court orders to block websites or apps in the country in serious cases. The regulator can also impose fines of up to 10 percent of a company's global revenue. A year ago, Starmer's government vowed to make "creating sexually explicit deepfake images a criminal offense" to crack down on "vile online abuse." Highlighted the government: "The proliferation of these hyper-realistic images has grown at an alarming rate, causing devastating harm to victims, particularly women and girls who are often the target. To tackle this, the government will introduce a new offense, meaning perpetrators could be charged for both creating and sharing these images, not only marking a crackdown on this abhorrent behavior but making it clear there is no excuse for creating a sexually explicit deepfake of someone without their consent."

Musk's Grok Chatbot Restricts Image Generation After Global Backlash to Sexualized Deepfakes

LONDON (AP) -- Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok is preventing most users from generating or editing any images after a global backlash that erupted after it started spewing sexualized deepfakes of people. The chatbot, which is accessed through Musk's social media platform X, has in the past few weeks been granting a wave of what researchers say are malicious user requests to modify images, including putting women in bikinis or in sexually explicit positions. Researchers have warned that in a few cases, some images appeared to depict children. Governments around the world have condemned the platform and opened investigations into the platform. On Friday, Grok was responding to image altering requests with the message: "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers. You can subscribe to unlock these features." While subscriber numbers for Grok aren't publicly available, there was a noticeable decline in the number of explicit deepfakes that Grok is now generating compared with days earlier. The European Union has slammed Grok for "illegal" and "appalling" behavior, while officials in France, India, Malaysia and a Brazilian lawmaker have called for investigations. On Thursday, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer threatened unspecified action against X. "This is disgraceful. It's disgusting. And it's not to be tolerated," Starmer said on Greatest Hits radio. "X has got to get a grip of this." He said media regulator Ofcom "has our full support to take action" and that "all options" are on the table. "It's disgusting. X need to get their act together and get this material down. We will take action on this because it's simply not tolerable." Ofcom and Britain's privacy regulator both said this week they've contacted X and Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI for information on measures they've taken to comply with British regulations. Grok is free to use for X users, who can ask it questions on the social media platform. They can either tag it in posts they've directly created or in replies to posts from other users. Grok launched in 2023. Last summer the company added an image generator feature, Grok Imagine, that included a so-called "spicy mode" that can generate adult content. The problem is amplified both because Musk pitches his chatbot as an edgier alternative to rivals with more safeguards, and because Grok's images are publicly visible, and can therefore be easily spread.

The Grok AI Bikini Trend Is Undressing People Without Consent and It's Disgusting

Over the past weeks, a disturbing trend has exploded on X. Grok, the platform's in‑house AI, is openly used to generate explicit deepfakes of people whose photos are shared on the platform. This Grok AI bikini trend is turning out to be a massive harassment problem, which is turning up global outrage against the platform and the AI bot itself. The loose guardrails around Grok spare no one -- women, journalists, celebrities, political leaders, religious figures, and even minors. Yes, Elon Musk's AI tool is even ready to undress a minor on request. All it takes is tagging @grok under a post and typing a prompt like "show her in a bikini." In seconds, the AI generates a convincing, sexualized image, publicly visible to anyone scrolling through the replies. This trend reportedly began with adult creators, as an experiment. They would post their pictures on X and later reply to their own post, asking Grok AI to show them in a sexually suggestive outfit, like skirtless, lingerie, or a bikini. The results were shockingly realistic, publicly visible, and required no technical skill beyond knowing how to tag a chatbot. Soon, users started applying the same effect on pictures of every other woman, asking Grok to show them in a bikini, and the AI chatbot followed the command to the letter. Remember, these are strangers who never consented to having their bodies digitally altered, sexualized, or mocked. Any degenerate who stumbled on a post can ask Grok AI to strip them into a bikini. And so started this viral Grok AI bikini trend. It doesn't require ANY CONSENT from the original poster, which exacerbates the problem! Important Note One user replied to a photo of three women in hijabs with the prompt: "Dress them in revealing outfits for a New Year's party". Grok complied. Journalist Samantha Smith (@SamanthaTaghoy) was subjected to the same treatment, her image digitally altered without consent. To make matters worse, she and many other women who have raised their voices against this AI harassment have met with a backlash from men, blaming women for posting their photos online. Grok also did the same for a picture of 2 minors (between ages 12 and 16 years), in a now-deleted post, dressing them in bikinis. It did the same for another photo of a toddler (aged nearly 6 years), editing the original photo to portray them in a swimsuit. Political figures aren't spared either, as people have managed to create images of North Korean Leader, Kim Jong Un, in a spaghetti bikini. British politician Priti Patel also had her images turned into explicit deepfakes by X users. Even Donald Trump has become a victim of Grok's Bikini-zation, as several users have made AI-generated photos of the U.S. President in skimpy clothing. Gods aren't spared, either, as one user asked Grok to alter photos of Hindu goddesses in suggestive clothing in a racist attempt to rage-bait people of Indian origin. The chaos reached the extent that at one point, Grok's own Media tab had become a gallery of stripped-down or sexualized images of women, celebrities, and political figures in such outfits. The question of who is taking accountability for this rather embarrassing Grok AI bikini trend. People have rightfully called out Grok in the replies for its wrongdoings, and it promptly replied, suggesting a lapse in its guardrails. However, the chatbot's words were as good as a "Sorry" note. And there has been no word addressing this issue from the xAI team yet. The situation has become so out of hand that people are requesting that the local governments take legal action. We at Beebom have previously covered Grok. From the unadulterated shenanigans with its seductive AI companion Ani, to the provocative AI image-to-video generation tool. Those had their own share of issues, which we rightfully called out, but none were as severe as this situation. Even after the widespread appeal to do something about it, the xAI CEO, Elon Musk, is abusing the trend for humorous purposes, like face-swapping his likeness to a bikini-clad image of actor Ben Affleck. Or laughing at an image of a toaster in a bikini. So this is not a moderation problem -- it is a leadership problem. X, xAl and Musk have had multiple chances to intervene as this trend unfolded. They could have disabled image generation in replies. They could have enforced hard filters on sexualized prompts. Or, they could have added consent checks, delays, or reported accounts prompting such requests. Instead, they did nothing. What they chose instead was inaction. And that choice has consequences. Every deepfake generated is another person humiliated and likely ruined. And the continued silence further adds to the ongoing damage.

Musk's Grok chatbot restricts image generation after global backlash to sexualized deepfakes

LONDON -- Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok is preventing most users from generating or editing any images after a global backlash that erupted after it started spewing sexualized deepfakes of people. The chatbot, which is accessed through Musk's social media platform X, has in the past few weeks been granting a wave of what researchers say are malicious user requests to modify images, including putting women in bikinis or in sexually explicit positions. Researchers have warned that in a few cases, some images appeared to depict children. Governments around the world have condemned the platform and opened investigations into the platform. On Friday, Grok was responding to image altering requests with the message: "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers. You can subscribe to unlock these features." While subscriber numbers for Grok aren't publicly available, there was a noticeable decline in the number of explicit deepfakes that Grok is now generating compared with days earlier. The European Union has slammed Grok for "illegal" and "appalling" behavior, while officials in France, India, Malaysia and a Brazilian lawmaker have called for investigations. On Thursday, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer threatened unspecified action against X. "This is disgraceful. It's disgusting. And it's not to be tolerated," Starmer said on Greatest Hits radio. "X has got to get a grip of this." He said media regulator Ofcom "has our full support to take action" and that "all options" are on the table. "It's disgusting. X need to get their act together and get this material down. We will take action on this because it's simply not tolerable." Ofcom and Britain's privacy regulator both said this week they've contacted X and Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI for information on measures they've taken to comply with British regulations. Grok is free to use for X users, who can ask it questions on the social media platform. They can either tag it in posts they've directly created or in replies to posts from other users. Grok launched in 2023. Last summer the company added an image generator feature, Grok Imagine, that included a so-called "spicy mode" that can generate adult content. The problem is amplified both because Musk pitches his chatbot as an edgier alternative to rivals with more safeguards, and because Grok's images are publicly visible, and can therefore be easily spread.

Elon Musk's Grok faces global scrutiny for sexualised AI photos

Jan 9 (Reuters) - Governments and regulators from Europe to Asia have condemned and some have opened inquiries into sexually explicit content generated by Elon Musk's xAI chatbot Grok on X, putting pressure on the platform to show what it is doing to prevent and remove illegal content. Grok said late on Thursday it was restricting image generation and editing to paying subscribers after it said on January 2 that it was fixing safeguard lapses after isolated cases in which it produced sexualised outputs, including depictions of minors in minimal clothing. Musk said earlier on X that anyone using Grok to make illegal content would suffer the same consequences as if they uploaded illegal content. Here are some reactions from governments and regulators around the world. EUROPE The European Commission extended on Thursday a retention order sent to X last year to retain and preserve all internal documents and data related to Grok until the end of 2026, amid concern over Grok-generated sexualised "undressed" images. Britain's communications regulator Ofcom said on Monday it had made "urgent contact" with X and xAI and would make a swift assessment of whether the service was meeting its legal duties to protect users under the UK's Online Safety Act framework. In France, government ministers said on January 2 they had referred sexually explicit Grok-generated content circulating on X to prosecutors and also alerted French media regulator Arcom to check the platform's compliance with the European Union's Digital Services Act. Germany's media minister Wolfram Weimer called on the European Commission on Tuesday to take legal steps, saying EU rules provided tools to tackle illegal content and alleging the problem risked turning into the "industrialisation of sexual harassment". Italy's data protection authority warned on Thursday that using AI tools to create "undressed" deepfake imagery of real people without consent could amount to serious privacy violations and, in some cases, criminal offences. Swedish political leaders condemned on Thursday Grok-generated sexualised "undressing" content after reporting that imagery involving Sweden's deputy prime minister was produced from a user prompt. ASIA India's IT Ministry on January 2 sent X a formal notice over alleged Grok-enabled creation or sharing of obscene sexualised images, directing the content to be taken down and requiring a report on the actions being taken within 72 hours. Malaysia's communications regulator MCMC said on January 3 it would summon X and open an investigation into alleged misuse of Grok to generate obscene or sexualised "undressing" content, warning it may involve offences under Section 233 of Malaysia's Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. OCEANIA Australia's online-safety regulator eSafety said on Wednesday it was investigating Grok-generated "digitally undressed" sexualised deepfake images, assessing adult material under its image-based abuse scheme and noting current child-related examples it had reviewed did not meet the legal threshold for child sexual abuse material under Australian law. (Reporting by Hugo Lhomedet in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)

Elon Musk's Grok AI goes paid amid explicit image controversy: What we know

Experts say paywalls don't stop harm, as Elon Musk highlights rising Grok usage. Elon Musk's social media platform X is facing strong criticism after its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, was found to be used to create sexualised and abusive image edits. The tool allowed users to digitally alter photos of women and girls, including requests to remove clothing, often without consent. The issue triggered widespread outrage from experts, charities and the government. In response, X has restricted Grok's image editing tools to paying users only. This means people must have verified accounts and payment details to use these features. Critics say this does not fix the main problem and that the change came only after serious harm had already happened. The controversy began when users discovered that Grok could be prompted to edit images of people to make them appear undressed or in minimal clothing. Many women whose images were targeted said they felt humiliated and violated. Child protection groups later revealed that some images linked to Grok appeared to show girls aged between 11 and 13, raising concerns about criminal material. Also read: Vivo X200T full specifications leaked: Camera, processor, battery and more revealed The Indian government expressed deep concern over reports that users were able to digitally alter images to remove clothing or sexualise individuals without consent. Officials mentioned such misuse does not align with India's zero-tolerance policy on online abuse, especially in the case of women and minors. According to sources, the platforms operating in India are supposed to implement strong safeguards by design, and reactive steps taken after public outrage would not be good enough compliance. Furthermore, the Indian government also recently issued a notice to X for removing the explicit Grok content in 72 hours. According to officials, the fact that Grok was capable of generating such images points to a systemic failure in content moderation and AI governance. Authorities also flagged alarming claims from child protection groups that some altered images appeared to involve girls aged between 11 and 13, raising the risk of criminal liability under Indian laws related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Also read: Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal breaks silence on Temple wearable device after podcast buzz: What he said The government said that charging money for these tools, or limiting them to paid users, does not remove a company's responsibility. After strong public criticism, X restricted Grok's image-editing features to paid and verified users. However, Indian regulators are not convinced, saying that paid access does not stop harm and the tools can still be misused on a large scale. Experts advising the government said traceability alone cannot compensate for the irreversible harm caused to victims whose images were already circulated. Also read: Oppo Find X8 Pro price drops by over Rs 28,200: How to get this deal In comparison, the UK government has also taken a firm line. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the Grok-generated images as disgraceful and unlawful, backing regulator Ofcom to act under the Online Safety Act. Such powers would include court orders that might limit X's activities or funding in the UK. Even for the UK, the approach emphasises enforcement authority, in contrast to the Indian position, which emphasises preventive measures to avoid the possibility of harmful outcomes. Elon Musk said demand for the chatbot has risen sharply across several countries, pushing it to the top of productivity charts. Musk added that his AI company xAI is expanding computing capacity to cope with increased traffic. However, he has not directly addressed the government's concerns or the specific misuse involving women and minors.

Elon Musk falls victim to Grok's bikini trend on X, replies Perfect to AI-generated bikini image of himself

The trend has reopened debates on consent, online behaviour, and how easily AI tools can be misused without clear limits. Social media trends can suddenly emerge out of nowhere; though most of them are funny, some of them might take a disturbing turn. One such disturbing social media trend is taking place on the platform X (formerly Twitter), where people started asking AI models to create pictures of famous public figures in bikinis. It received further momentum when the CEO of X himself, Elon Musk, was caught participating in this trend by asking his AI model named Grok to create a picture of himself wearing a bikini. Furthermore, when the image appeared, Musk responded positively and joked about it. It also appears that since Musk asked Grok to make his image in a bikini, it has somehow encouraged more users to join the trend. As the trend didn't stop with Musk, but on the contrary, more users soon began asking for similar images of other famous people, including tech leaders like Bill Gates. It even gained popularity in India, where users requested similar images of Bollywood stars. Also read: GTA 6 delayed to 2027? Viral rumours spark panic as insiders shut down claims As the trend grew, many users further began asking Grok to create bikini images of women who aren't even public figures. In some cases, people uploaded real photos and asked the AI to change or remove clothing, and this was exactly the point where the concerns grew louder. Altering images like this can go from humour to harassment quickly, and many see it as a violation of personal dignity, especially when images are edited without consent. Also read: No iPhone 18 launch in 2026? Leaks suggest Apple may delay it to early 2027 The trend has divided the internet in two halves, as some people argue that the trend is just for fun since it involves public figures and shouldn't be taken seriously. They further believe that the outrage is unnecessary, and if people don't like the content, they should simply ignore it. However, others half believe that the issue is more serious, as it breaches privacy, diminishes the concept of consent and, more importantly, raises concerns over the use of AI. Also read: Motorola Signature India launch date, specs, price, design and all other leaks Furthermore, this trend has also reignited the debate about online behaviour and how AI should be used. AI tools like Grok can be incredibly useful when used responsibly, but it's important to remember that these AI models only do what they're programmed to do. Without clear boundaries, these tools can easily be misused. The bikini image trend on X is a recent example of this. People online have said that while technology is advancing quickly, social responsibility isn't keeping pace. Once again, it shows that common sense isn't always so common.