Musk’s Grok Blocks Feature Used In Undressing Images After Global Backlash

Elon Musk’s social media platform X has announced new restrictions to stop its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, Grok, from generating sexualised images of real people, following worldwide outrage and multiple investigations into the tool’s misuse.

The decision came after reports that Grok’s “Spicy Mode” feature was being used to create explicit, non-consensual deepfakes of women and minors using simple prompts like “put her in a bikini” or “remove her clothes.”

In a statement on Wednesday, X said it had introduced “technological measures” to block the editing of real people’s images in revealing clothing such as “bikinis, underwear, and similar attire.”

“We have implemented technological measures to prevent the Grok account from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis,” X’s safety team said.
“This restriction applies to all users, including paid subscribers.”

The company added that, as “an extra layer of protection,” Grok’s image generation and editing features would now only be available to paid subscribers.

The move followed a global backlash that saw regulators, civil society groups, and governments accuse Musk’s xAI, the developer of Grok of enabling sexual exploitation through AI.

California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on Wednesday that his office had opened an investigation into xAI.

“The avalanche of reports detailing the non-consensual, sexually explicit material that xAI has produced and posted online in recent weeks is shocking,” Bonta said.
“We have zero tolerance for the AI-based creation and dissemination of non-consensual intimate images or of child sexual abuse material.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom also condemned the company’s handling of the controversy, calling Grok’s deepfake content “vile” and saying it prompted him to urge the attorney general to hold xAI accountable.

In Europe, the European Commission welcomed X’s new safety measures but said it would monitor compliance closely.

“We will carefully assess these changes to make sure they effectively protect citizens in the EU,” Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said.

Meanwhile, global pressure continues to mount. A coalition of 28 civil society groups has urged Apple and Google to remove X and Grok from their app stores, citing the surge in explicit AI-generated content.

Several countries have already taken action. Indonesia became the first nation to block access to Grok on Saturday, with Malaysia following a day later.

Malaysia’s Communications Minister, Fahmi Fadzil, said on Thursday that national regulators had found X’s initial steps insufficient.

“If X can successfully deactivate and prevent the generation of such online content considered harmful, Malaysia will lift the temporary restriction imposed on Grok,” he said.

India has also reported that X removed thousands of posts and hundreds of accounts in response to government complaints, while Britain’s media regulator, Ofcom, has launched a probe into whether the company breached UK law.

A recent analysis by Paris-based non-profit AI Forensics examined more than 20,000 Grok-generated images and found that over half depicted “individuals in minimal attire,” with most being women and about two per cent appearing to be minors.