Grok Chatbot Under Fire Over Alleged Erotic Images Of Minors

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, is facing global backlash following allegations that it was used to generate erotic images involving children and women, raising serious legal and ethical concerns.

The controversy erupted after Grok introduced an “edit image” feature in late December, which allows users to modify images posted on X (formerly Twitter). Critics alleged that the tool was exploited to remove clothing from images, including those of minors.

In response, Grok on Friday admitted failures in its safety systems, saying it was urgently fixing identified lapses. “CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) is illegal and prohibited,” the chatbot said in a post on X.

The backlash has drawn the attention of regulators and prosecutors across several countries. In France, the Paris public prosecutor’s office has expanded an ongoing investigation into X to include allegations that Grok was used to generate and circulate child pornography. The probe initially began in July over claims of foreign interference via the platform’s algorithm.

In India, media reports said government officials have demanded urgent clarification from X on measures being taken to remove obscene, indecent and sexually suggestive AI-generated content created without users’ consent.

Meanwhile, Grok’s developer, xAI, owned by Musk, dismissed media reports in a brief automated response, claiming that “the mainstream media lies.”

The latest controversy adds to a series of criticisms faced by Grok in recent months, including accusations of antisemitic outputs, misinformation, and inflammatory content related to global conflicts.

The allegations have renewed calls for stricter regulation and stronger safeguards around generative AI tools, especially those capable of manipulating images and potentially endangering vulnerable individuals.