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The online network X has sparked significant backlash after individuals utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to alter photos of women by stripping their attire.

Multiple cases have been seen where the tool has been used to virtually strip female subjects to render them in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to insert them in sexualized scenarios.

Developer Reaction and Regulatory Stance

XAI, the company behind Grok, remained silent to requests for comment, other than an auto-reply message stating "legacy media lies".

A Home Office representative stated that legislation is being brought forward to prohibit image stripping tools. Under a proposed law, anyone who distributed such technology would "be subject to a prison sentence and heavy fines".

"X or Grok has the ability to stop these forms of misuse if they desired to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."

Regulator Stance and Platform Functionality

The regulator Ofcom said platforms must "assess the potential" of people accessing unlawful material on their platforms, but did not confirm whether it was currently looking into X or Grok in regarding AI-generated images.

Grok is a free AI assistant—with some additional features—which responds to X users' requests when they tag it in a post.

It is commonly used to give commentary or more context to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also able to alter an uploaded photo through its AI image editing function.

Background of Criticism and Rules

The chatbot has been criticised for enabling users to produce photos and footage with explicit content and sexualised material, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in creating sexually explicit content of public figures.

"The platform has been permitting the production and spread of these images for a long time without taking any steps and we have not witnessed any action by oversight bodies," the expert added.

XAI's own terms of service forbids "showing likenesses of people in a graphic manner".

In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "generate or circulate private pictures or child sexual abuse material" and stated this applied to sexual deepfakes created with AI.

It said networks such as X were required to take "appropriate steps" to "reduce the risk" of users coming across unlawful content on their services and to remove it quickly when they become aware of it.