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The social media network X has sparked widespread backlash after users utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to manipulate images of females by removing their attire.

Several instances have emerged where the technology has been used to remove clothing from women to show them in swimwear without permission, as well as to place them in sexualized contexts.

Company Response and Regulatory Stance

XAI, the firm responsible for Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, aside from an automatically-generated response stating "traditional news outlets lies".

A Home Office official stated that legislation is being proposed to prohibit nudification technology. Under a new criminal offence, anyone who supplied such tools would "receive a jail term and significant penalties".

"X or Grok is capable of halting these forms of misuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with impunity."

Regulator Position and Platform Functionality

The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must "consider the potential" of people accessing unlawful material on their platforms, but did not confirm whether it was currently investigating X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence images.

Grok is a free artificial intelligence—with some premium features—which reacts to X users' queries when they mention it in a message.

It is frequently used to give reactions or more context to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also able to edit an uploaded photo through its AI image editing tool.

Background of Controversy and Rules

The system has been faulted for allowing users to create pictures and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in creating graphic material of celebrities.

"X has been allowing the generation and spread of these images for months without taking any action and we have not witnessed any challenge by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.

XAI's own acceptable use policy forbids "showing likenesses of persons in a sexually explicit manner".

In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "create or circulate non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and stated this covered sexual deepfakes generated with AI.

It said services such as X were required to take "necessary steps" to "lessen the risk" of users coming across unlawful material on their platforms and to remove it promptly when they learn of it.