The UK government and regulators have launched an international row over Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, hosted on his social media platform X, after users were able to manipulate images to strip people naked without their consent. The tool, which also produced child abuse content later discovered on the dark web, has drawn criticism from politicians, celebrities, and data protection authorities alike. British TV presenter Maya Jama publicly condemned the feature, stating that she had explicitly requested Grok stop generating doctored images of her.
The UK government has suggested it could block X if Musk’s company, xAI, does not impose restrictions on the nudification feature. While ministers have introduced a law banning similar AI tools, the power to act immediately rests with Ofcom, the regulator responsible for enforcing the Online Safety Act. Ofcom confirmed on Monday that it had launched a formal investigation into whether X and Grok comply with UK law, following evidence provided by xAI on Friday “as a matter of urgency.”
Musk initially joked about the feature before warning users not to break the law. Over the weekend, he described Britain as “fascist” and accused governments of attempting to censor X. Grok has been deliberately positioned by Musk as a more provocative product than competitors like ChatGPT or Gemini, including an interactive avatar of a young woman in revealing attire. While some junior members of the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress have expressed support for Musk’s free speech arguments, UK officials insist that xAI’s tool violates both consent and child protection standards.
Under the Online Safety Act, xAI must implement systems to quickly remove non-consensual deepfake nudes and protect vulnerable users, particularly minors. Ofcom does not yet have the authority to sanction the company solely for enabling the tool, but the regulator can impose fines of up to 10 percent of X’s global revenue or seek a court order to block the platform in the UK, a move that would be unprecedented for a major social media service.
Observers say the case could influence broader debates over social media regulation in the UK, with ministers weighing the effectiveness of bans on platforms or content for minors, as seen in Australia’s recently implemented restrictions. Meanwhile, xAI faces growing pressure to demonstrate that its systems and risk assessments meet UK legal requirements or risk substantial financial and operational consequences.
