Elon Musk’s xAI startup has implemented restrictions on the image generation feature of its Grok chatbot on the social media platform X, following backlash over the tool’s use of AI to produce and share sexualized images without consent. Users were previously able to request Grok to alter photos of individuals, such as removing clothing and placing them in sexualized poses, which Grok would then post on the platform.
Grok informed X users that the image generation and editing functions are now only accessible to paying subscribers. This change seems to have halted Grok from automatically generating and publishing such images in response to user interactions on X. However, users can still create sexualized images using the Grok tab within the social media platform and share them themselves. Additionally, the standalone Grok app, operating independently from X, continues to allow image generation without a paid subscription.
Authorities in Europe, including the European Union’s executive commission, remain unsatisfied with the changes. They strongly oppose the display of such images, regardless of subscription status. The British government also expressed dissatisfaction with Grok’s modifications, stating that they do not offer a solution to the issue at hand. Various countries, including France, Malaysia, India, and Brazil, are scrutinizing the platform, with the European Commission ordering X to retain all internal documents related to Grok for investigation under EU digital safety laws.
Meanwhile, three U.S. Democratic senators are urging Apple and Google to remove X and Grok from their app stores until policy violations are addressed. Grok, launched in 2023, is a free tool for X users to interact with on the social media platform, allowing them to ask questions and generate content. The addition of the image generator feature, Grok Imagine, introduced a “spicy mode” capable of creating adult content, which has raised concerns due to the public visibility of Grok’s images and their potential for widespread dissemination. Elon Musk has stated that individuals using Grok to produce illegal content will face consequences similar to those for directly uploading such material.