X says it’s altering its insurance policies round Grok’s image-editing skills following a multi-week outcry over the chatbot repeatedly being accused of producing sexualized photos of kids and nonconsensual nudity. In an replace shared from the @Security account on X, the corporate mentioned it has “applied technological measures to stop the Grok account from permitting the enhancing of photos of actual individuals in revealing clothes comparable to bikinis.”
The brand new safeguards, in response to X, will apply to all customers no matter whether or not they pay for Grok. xAI can be shifting all of Grok’s image-generating options behind its subscriber paywall in order that non-paying customers will now not be capable to create photos. And it’ll geoblock “the flexibility of all customers to generate photos of actual individuals in bikinis, underwear, and comparable apparel through the Grok account and in Grok in X” in areas the place it is unlawful.
The corporate’s assertion comes hours after the state of California opened an investigation into xAI and Grok over its dealing with of AI-generated nudity and youngster exploitation materials. An announcement from California Lawyer Normal Rob Bonta cited one evaluation that discovered “greater than half of the 20,000 photos generated by xAI between Christmas and New Years depicted individuals in minimal clothes,” together with some that gave the impression to be kids.
In its replace, X mentioned that it has “zero tolerance” for youngster exploitation and that it removes “high-priority violative content material, together with Little one Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM) and non-consensual nudity” from its platform. Earlier within the day, Elon Musk mentioned he was “not conscious of any bare underage photos generated by Grok.” He later added that when its NSFW setting is enabled, “Grok is meant [sic] permit higher physique nudity of imaginary grownup people (not actual ones) according to what may be seen in R-rated motion pictures on Apple TV.” He added that “this can fluctuate in different areas” primarily based on native legal guidelines.
Malaysia and Indonesia each lately moved to dam Grok citing security issues and its dealing with of sexually express AI-generated materials. Within the UK, the place regulator Ofcom can be investigating xAI and Grok, officers have additionally mentioned they’d again the same block of the chatbot.
Have a tip for Karissa? You’ll be able to attain her by electronic mail, on X, Bluesky, Threads, or ship a message to @karissabe.51 to speak confidentially on Sign.
