UK regulator asks X about reports its AI makes 'sexualised images of children'

"Ofcom has made "urgent contact" with Elon Musk's company xAI following reports its AI tool Grok can be used to make "sexualised images of children" and undress women. A spokesperson for the regulator said it was also investigating concerns Grok has been producing "undressed images" of people. The BBC has seen several examples on the social media platform X of people asking the chatbot to alter real images to make women appear in bikinis without their consent, as well as putting them in sexual situations."

"On Sunday, it issued a warning to users not to use Grok to generate illegal content including child sexual abuse material. Elon Musk also posted to say anyone who asks the AI to generate illegal content would "suffer the same consequences" as if they uploaded it themselves. XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "depicting likenesses of persons in a pornographic manner". But people have been using Grok to digitally undress people without their consent and without notifying them."

"Samantha Smith, a journalist who discovered users had used the AI to create pictures of her in a bikini, told the BBC's PM programme on Friday it had left her feeling "dehumanised and reduced into a sexual stereotype". "While it wasn't me that was in states of undress, it looked like me and it felt like me and it felt as violating as if someone had actually posted a nude or a bikini picture of me," she said."

Ofcom made urgent contact with xAI after reports that Grok can generate sexualised images of children and digitally undress women without consent. The regulator is investigating concerns that Grok has produced undressed images of people. Examples on X show users prompting the assistant to alter real images to place women in bikinis or sexual situations without their permission. X issued a warning prohibiting illegal content including child sexual abuse material, and Elon Musk warned violators would face equivalent consequences. xAI's policy forbids pornographic depictions of likenesses, but misuse continues. The Online Safety Act criminalises creating or sharing intimate images without consent and requires tech firms to take steps to reduce risks.

Read at www.bbc.com