Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot has begun restricting the creation of deepfake, sexualized images by non-paying users following widespread criticism from both users and governments.
AI-Generated Images Spark Global Backlash
The controversy began late last month when users exploited Grok’s capabilities on X, prompting the chatbot with requests like “put her in a bikini” to generate nonconsensual images of individuals. These images included depictions of celebrities, politicians, and, disturbingly, some minors.
After complaints and threats of legal action, Grok issued an apology for the inappropriate images resembling children. X then moved the chatbot’s image-morphing features behind a paywall, limiting access to paying subscribers.
Concerns Remain Despite Restrictions
However, this move has not satisfied regulators. The United Kingdom and the European Commission have stated that X’s safeguards are insufficient, as the ability to create and edit images remains available to paying users. Emma Pickering, head of technology-facilitated abuse and economic empowerment at Refuge, stated that limiting access to paid users “simply been placed behind a paywall, allowing X to profit from harm.”
The situation has prompted calls for more drastic action, with some proposing outright bans of X in certain countries. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the trend as “disgusting” and pledged action, stating, “We will take action on this because it’s simply not tolerable.”
Musk responded to criticism by reposting a claim that ChatGPT also allowed the creation of a similar image, albeit of a non-real person. The European Commission has ordered X to retain all documents related to Grok until the end of 2026 to ensure compliance with its rules. France, India, Malaysia, and Brazil are also scrutinizing the platform.
Analysis by Copyleaks revealed that on January 3, one user prompted Grok 50 times in a single day to generate nonconsensual, sexualized images of women in workplace settings. Gender justice group Ultraviolet has launched a campaign to pressure Apple and Google to remove X from their app stores, citing violations of child sexual abuse guidelines.
A Deliberate Positioning
Musk has positioned Grok as a more “edgy” alternative to other chatbots like Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude, which maintain more restrictive guidelines regarding explicit content requests.
Frequently Asked Questions
What prompted the changes to Grok’s image generation capabilities?
Global pushback from users and governments, following the creation and public posting of nonconsensual, sexualized images generated by Grok, prompted the restrictions.
Are paying users still able to create altered images with Grok?
Yes, the ability to create and edit images remains available to paying users of X.
What action has the European Commission taken regarding Grok?
The European Commission has ordered X to retain all documents relating to Grok until the end of 2026 to ensure compliance with its rules.
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