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X Restricts Grok AI Chatbot After Backlash Over Sexualized images
Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), has implemented new restrictions on its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, to prevent the generation of sexually explicit images of real people. The move follows widespread criticism and regulatory scrutiny regarding Grok’s ability to create inappropriate content,particularly depictions of women and children.
Backlash and Investigations
The controversy surrounding Grok intensified after an analysis by AI Forensics, a Paris-based nonprofit, revealed that over half of the 20,000 images generated by the chatbot depicted individuals in “minimal attire.” The analysis also found that approximately 2% of these images appeared to feature minors The Guardian.
Several governments responded to the reports with investigations. California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced an investigation to determine if xAI, Musk’s AI company, violated state law with the creation and dissemination of non-consensual, sexually explicit material California Department of Justice. The UK’s media regulator, Ofcom, launched a similar probe on January 8, 2024 Ofcom. The European commission also expressed concerns and stated it would assess the changes made by X to ensure they adequately protect EU citizens european Commission.
New Restrictions and Geoblocking
In response to the criticism, X announced several measures to curb the misuse of Grok. These include:
- Image Editing Restrictions: the platform has implemented technological measures to prevent the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing, such as bikinis.
- Geoblocking: X now blocks the generation of images of real people in bikinis, underwear, and similar attire in jurisdictions where it is indeed illegal.
- Paid Subscriber Access: xAI has limited image creation and editing features to paid subscribers of Grok to reduce abuse by anonymous users.
According to X’s safety team, these restrictions apply to all users, including those with paid subscriptions
