Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has disabled the objectionable image generation feature of the AI chatbot Grok following global criticism. This action means that Grok can no longer create inappropriate images of women, even for premium account holders. The platform’s safety account announced that measures have been put in place to prevent the editing of images showing real people in revealing clothing like bikinis, applicable to all users, including paid subscribers.
After facing backlash, XAI’s Grok chatbot, known for its “Spicy Mode” feature enabling the creation of sexualized deepfakes, was criticized by various countries. In response, X took steps to restrict the ability to generate and edit images to paid users, enhancing accountability and preventing misuse. The move came after demands from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and investigations initiated by the Attorney General of California into Grok’s developer.
Moreover, a coalition of 28 civil society groups urged Apple and Google to remove X and Grok from their app stores due to the proliferation of sexualized content. X emphasized that it will now only allow paid subscribers to create and edit images using the Grok account, aiming to deter unlawful activities and uphold platform policies. The company also pledged to promptly remove offensive content, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and non-consensual nudity, and take action against violators.
In response to government directives, X has taken steps to comply with regulations, including removing illicit content and enforcing AI usage restrictions. The platform has already removed thousands of obscene pieces of content and sexually explicit images generated through Grok in India, in addition to banning hundreds of users misusing the chatbot for creating inappropriate content.
