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Elon Musk's online network X has caused major backlash after individuals utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to manipulate pictures of females by taking off their attire.

Numerous cases have surfaced where the system has been used to virtually strip female subjects to make them appear in swimwear non-consensually, as well as to place them in sexually explicit scenarios.

Developer Response and Regulatory Stance

XAI, the organization responsible for Grok, remained silent to requests for comment, except for an auto-reply response stating "traditional news outlets lies".

A government official stated that legislation is being brought forward to prohibit image stripping tools. Under a new criminal offence, anyone who provided such tools would "be subject to a prison sentence and significant fines".

"The platform could prevent these forms of misuse if they desired to," said a law professor, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."

Oversight Body Stance and Platform Capabilities

The communications watchdog Ofcom said platforms must "assess the danger" of people accessing illegal content on their platforms, but stopped short of confirming whether it was currently examining X or Grok in relation to AI-generated images.

Grok is a free artificial intelligence—with some premium functions—which responds to X users' prompts when they mention it in a tweet.

It is commonly used to offer reactions or more background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also can alter an uploaded photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification function.

Background of Criticism and Policy

The tool has been condemned for permitting users to produce images and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was previously accused of creating graphic material of public figures.

"X has been enabling the generation and spread of these pictures for months without taking any measures and we have yet to see any intervention by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.

XAI's own terms of service prohibits "portraying likenesses of people in a graphic fashion".

In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "create or circulate non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and confirmed this covered sexual deepfakes created with AI.

It said networks such as X were obligated to take "appropriate measures" to "reduce the danger" of users coming across illegal content on their platforms and to delete it quickly when they become aware of it.