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The online network X has caused significant backlash after individuals utilized its AI chatbot Grok to change images of women by taking off their attire.

Numerous cases have surfaced where the system has been used to digitally undress women to render them in bikinis without permission, as well as to insert them in inappropriate scenarios.

Company Reaction and Regulatory Stance

XAI, the firm that created Grok, remained silent to questions, except for an automatically-generated response stating "traditional news outlets lies".

A government official stated that legislation is being proposed to outlaw nudification software. Under a new law, anyone who provided such technology would "receive a prison sentence and significant fines".

"The platform is capable of halting these forms of misuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "appear to enjoy impunity."

Oversight Body Position and Tool Functionality

The regulator Ofcom said platforms must "consider the potential" of people seeing unlawful material on their services, but did not specify whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence images.

Grok is a no-cost chatbot—with some premium functions—which reacts to X users' queries when they tag it in a tweet.

It is commonly used to offer commentary or further context to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also can alter an uploaded picture through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.

History of Controversy and Rules

The system has been faulted for enabling users to generate pictures and clips with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was earlier alleged to have been involved in making sexually explicit material of public figures.

"X has been permitting the creation and spread of these images for months without taking any steps and we have yet to see any action by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.

XAI's own usage rules forbids "depicting likenesses of persons in a sexually explicit manner".

In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or distribute private pictures or child sexual abuse material" and stated this covered explicit AI images made with AI.

It said networks such as X were mandated to take "suitable measures" to "reduce the risk" of users viewing unlawful material on their platforms and to delete it quickly when they learn of it.