Over the past two weeks, X has been flooded with AI-manipulated nude images created by the Grok AI chatbot. An astonishing range of women have been affected by non-consensual nudity, from famous models and actresses to members of the press, crime victims and even world leaders.
Copyleaks’ Dec. 31 research paper estimated that roughly one image was posted per minute, but subsequent tests found that many more images were being posted. Samples collected from January 5th to 6th detected 6,700 cases per hour over a 24-hour period.
But while celebrities around the world have condemned the choice to release the model without safeguards, there are few clear mechanisms for regulators seeking to rein in Elon Musk’s new image manipulation system. The result is a painful lesson about the limits of technology regulation and a positive challenge for regulators looking to make a difference.
Unsurprisingly, the most aggressive action came from the European Commission, which on Thursday ordered xAI to preserve all documents related to the Grok chatbot. While this move does not necessarily mean the committee has opened a new investigation, it is a common precursor to such action. This is especially creepy given a recent report from CNN suggesting that Elon Musk may have personally intervened to prevent safeguards from being put in place on images that could be produced by Grok.
The public media tab on Grok’s X account has been removed, but it is unclear whether X has made any technical changes to the Grok model. In a statement, the company specifically condemned the use of AI tools to create sexual images of children. “Those who use Grok or encourage the creation of illegal content using Grok will suffer the same consequences as if they had uploaded illegal content,” the X Safety account posted on January 3, repeating an earlier tweet from Elon Musk.
Meanwhile, regulators around the world are issuing stark warnings. Britain’s Ofcom issued a statement on Monday saying it had been in contact with xAI and would “carry out a rapid assessment to determine whether there are any potential compliance issues worthy of investigation.” In a radio interview on Thursday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the phenomenon “disgraceful” and “disgusting” and said he was “fully supportive of Ofcom taking action on this.”
In a post on LinkedIn, Australian eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant said her office has seen a doubling of Grok-related complaints received since late 2025. However, Inman Grant did not take action against xAI, saying only that it would “use the various regulatory tools at our disposal to investigate and take appropriate action.”
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The biggest market threatening the action is India, where Grok was the subject of formal charges from members of Congress. In January, India’s telecom regulator MeitY ordered X to address the issue within 72 hours and submit an “actionable” report. This deadline was later extended by 48 hours. The report was submitted to regulators on January 7, but it is unclear whether MeitY will be satisfied with its response. Failure to do so could result in X losing its safe harbor status in India and subjecting it to significant restrictions on its business activities in the country.
