British communications regulator Ofcom announced a formal investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X over sexually explicit images generated by its artificial intelligence chatbot Grok. The probe, launched on January 12, follows reports that Grok has been used to create nonconsensual intimate images of individuals and sexualized images of children that may constitute child sexual abuse material. The investigation represents one of the first major regulatory actions under the UK's Online Safety Act.
Ofcom stated that it had contacted X on January 5 and set a firm deadline of January 9 for the company to explain what steps it had taken to protect users in the United Kingdom. The regulator described reports of Grok being used to generate undressed images of people as deeply disturbing, noting that such content may amount to intimate image abuse or illegal pornography. If found in violation, X could face fines of up to 18 million pounds or 10 percent of its global revenue, whichever is greater.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a stern warning to the platform, stating that if X cannot control Grok, the government will intervene quickly. He emphasized that companies profiting from harm and abuse forfeit their right to self-regulation. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced that a new UK law criminalizing the creation or solicitation of nonconsensual sexual deepfakes would take effect this week, declaring that no woman or child should live in fear of having their image sexually manipulated by technology.
Musk has argued that other AI chatbots and digital tools can edit images in similar ways and accused the UK of singling out his platform. His company xAI attempted to address the criticism by announcing that Grok would be limited to paying subscribers only. However, Starmer condemned this move as an affront to victims and not a solution to the fundamental problem of AI-generated abuse.
The investigation comes amid a broader international crackdown on the platform. Indonesia and Malaysia temporarily blocked Grok over the weekend after it generated fake images sexualizing women and in some instances children. The European Commission has ordered X to retain all internal documents and data related to Grok until the end of 2026, with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declaring that Europe would not outsource child protection to Silicon Valley.
In the most severe cases of non-compliance, UK courts could order British internet service providers to block access to X entirely. The potential ban would mark an unprecedented action against a major social media platform in a Western democracy. Legal experts note that the investigation could set important precedents for how AI-generated content is regulated globally.
The controversy has intensified scrutiny of artificial intelligence image generation capabilities more broadly. Critics argue that platforms have failed to implement adequate safeguards against misuse, while technology companies contend that policing AI outputs presents significant technical challenges. The outcome of the UK investigation could influence regulatory approaches worldwide as governments grapple with the rapid advancement of generative AI technology.
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