Elon Musk’s Grok under global scrutiny over sexualised AI deepfakes

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok, developed by xAI and used on the social media platform X, is facing growing criticism and regulatory action around the world. Governments and regulators in Europe, Asia, and Oceania are cracking down on the creation and spread of sexually explicit AI-generated deepfake images linked to the tool.

Authorities say the content raises serious concerns about privacy, consent, and online safety, especially for women and children.

Below are some of the key reactions reported earlier this month.

Europe

The European Commission has extended an order requiring X to preserve all internal documents and data related to Grok until the end of 2026. This follows concerns about AI-generated “undressed” images created using the chatbot.

In the United Kingdom, media regulator Ofcom has launched an investigation to assess whether sexually explicit deepfakes produced by Grok breach X’s legal duty under the Online Safety Act to protect users from illegal content.

In France, government ministers said they have referred explicit Grok-generated content circulating on X to prosecutors. They have also alerted media regulator Arcom to examine whether the platform complies with the EU’s Digital Services Act.

Germany’s media minister Wolfram Weimer has urged the European Commission to take legal action, warning that such misuse of AI could lead to what he described as the “industrialisation of sexual harassment”.

Italy’s data protection authority said using AI to create non-consensual “undressed” images of real people could amount to serious privacy violations and, in some cases, criminal offences.

In Sweden, political leaders condemned Grok-generated sexualised images after reports that AI-created content involved the country’s deputy prime minister.

Asia

In India, the IT Ministry sent a formal notice to X on January 2, directing the platform to remove allegedly obscene Grok-generated images and submit a report on the steps taken within 72 hours.

Indonesia has blocked access to Grok, with officials saying the move was necessary to protect women and children under the country’s strict anti-pornography laws.

Malaysia announced a temporary ban on the chatbot, citing repeated misuse to generate obscene, sexually explicit, and non-consensual images, including content involving women and minors.

Oceania

In Australia, online safety regulator eSafety said it is investigating AI-generated “digitally undressed” images linked to Grok. The regulator said the content is being reviewed under its image-based abuse laws, though some examples did not meet the legal threshold for child sexual abuse material.

xAI’s Response

Grok’s developer xAI, which is owned by X, has introduced restrictions allowing only paid subscribers to use image generation and editing features.

X said it removes illegal content, permanently suspends offending accounts, and cooperates with law enforcement and local authorities when required.

Elon Musk has also warned that anyone using Grok to create illegal content will face the same consequences as users who upload illegal material directly to the platform