Elon Musk’s social media platform X announced on January 14 that it would implement restrictions on its artificial intelligence chatbot Grok to prevent the creation of images depicting real people in sexually explicit or nude contexts.
The move comes after reports that Grok had been widely misused to generate non-consensual explicit content, including material involving minors, drawing criticism and regulatory concern from multiple countries.
In a statement, X’s safety team said the company had deployed technical measures to prevent Grok from producing images of real individuals in revealing clothing, including swimwear. The restriction applies to all users, including paying subscribers.
The platform added that its safety teams were working around the clock to enhance protections, remove illegal or policy-violating content, and, where necessary, permanently suspend accounts responsible for abuse. X said it would also cooperate with local governments and law enforcement agencies to address violations.
Grok, developed by Musk-owned xAI and integrated into X, has faced scrutiny from safety advocates and regulators amid broader concerns over the misuse of generative AI tools to create deepfake sexual content.
X did not provide details on how the restrictions would be technically enforced or whether previous content would be removed, but said it was committed to “preventing misuse while maintaining user access to AI capabilities.”
The announcement follows public criticism from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who last week described the generation of explicit images on X as “disgusting” and “shameful,” warning that the government would support regulatory action if the platform failed to act.
The steps by X signal increasing pressure on social media companies to regulate AI-generated content, particularly when it involves non-consensual or illegal material. Experts say AI moderation tools, combined with legal oversight, will be crucial to preventing harm while enabling safe innovation.
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