The UK outlaws deepfake nudes on X after Grok AI uproar — Sorry, Elon, it’s nothing to do with suppression of free speech

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As a tech enthusiast, I’ve been following the rollout of X’s Grok chatbot, and honestly, it’s been a bit of a bumpy ride. Late last year, it came to light that Grok was responding to prompts asking it to create explicit content based on people’s photos – basically, undressing them digitally. This understandably caused a huge uproar, and X is now facing serious criticism worldwide for allowing users to generate this kind of nonconsensual and frankly disturbing material. It’s a really concerning situation and highlights the challenges of responsible AI development.

Recent reports indicate that the Grok feature, which has faced criticism, is being used extensively, creating thousands of sexually explicit images every hour. Worryingly, this includes images involving minors, raising serious concerns.

At the start of the year, X released a statement denying responsibility for any misuse of its AI chatbot, Grok. The company claimed that users are accountable for any illegal content created with Grok, stating that those who prompt it to generate such content will face the same penalties as if they had directly uploaded it.

The company announced that if users create sexually explicit content with their chatbot, the content will be removed, and the user’s account will be permanently banned. They will also cooperate with authorities when required.

Elon Musk responded to concerns about sexually explicit deepfakes created by Grok, suggesting they were being used as an excuse to unfairly censor the platform. He stated, “They just want to suppress free speech.” Following this, the UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, began an official investigation into X to determine if it violated the Online Safety Act. If found in violation, X could face significant fines – up to £18 million or 10% of its global revenue, whichever is higher – or even be blocked in the United Kingdom.

The UK has passed a new law making it illegal to create or share intimate deepfake images without the person’s consent (according to the BBC). Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated:

Last year, the Data Act made it a crime to create or ask for intimate images without someone’s consent. Starting this week, this law will be enforced, and I’ll also be making it a key focus within the Online Safety Act.

Liz Kendall, UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology

Ofcom is likely to announce a schedule for finishing its investigations. Kendall emphasized that the public, especially those affected by Grok’s actions, want a quick resolution, stating, “This shouldn’t drag on for months.”

Kendall strongly disagreed with Elon Musk’s suggestion that the investigation into sexually explicit deepfake images on X and Grok was an attempt to limit free speech. She clarified that the focus wasn’t on restricting expression, but rather on addressing violence against women and girls.

Therefore, platforms such as X need to actively work to stop explicit deepfake content created without consent from being posted.

AI tools have created sexually explicit deepfake photos before. Earlier in 2024, for example, AI-generated images of Taylor Swift appeared online, leading to discussions about creating images of people without their permission.

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2026-01-13 15:09