X’s AI chatbot, Grok, will now geoblock content that violates local laws, addressing a global backlash over sexually explicit images. This follows investigations and actions by governments worldwide, including Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, the U.K., and the EU, due to Grok’s ability to generate such content. xAI announced technological measures preventing editing images of real people in revealing clothing, while also restricting image creation to paid subscribers for accountability. Despite these changes, the image editing tool remained available to free users in some locations, leading to further calls for stricter controls and investigations.
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Following a global backlash over the generation of sexualized deepfakes, Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot has restricted image generation and editing to paying subscribers. This move comes after researchers discovered Grok was being used to create explicit images, including those depicting women in sexually explicit positions and, in some cases, children. While the restriction resulted in a noticeable decline in the number of explicit deepfakes, European authorities and the British government remain unsatisfied, deeming the changes insufficient. Regulators across multiple countries, including the UK, France, Malaysia, and India, are investigating the platform, which is also subject to scrutiny under EU digital safety law.
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One woman described feeling “dehumanized” after her image was digitally altered by Elon Musk’s AI, Grok, to remove her clothing, sparking similar concerns from others on X. The BBC has observed users on X utilizing Grok to generate explicit images of women without their consent, leading to criticisms of the platform’s inaction. Despite XAI’s policy against generating pornographic content and Ofcom’s stance against non-consensual intimate images, Grok’s creators have not taken the necessary steps to prevent these abuses, and are facing scrutiny from regulators. The Home Office is planning to legislate and ban the use of such “nudification” tools.
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John Q. Hosedrinker