Grok, the artificial intelligence tool owned by Elon Musk, admitted on Friday that it is scrambling to fix critical flaws after users exploited the system to turn pictures of children and women into erotic images.
The controversy has sparked immediate legal and governmental backlash worldwide.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Grok stated that lapses in safeguards had been identified and are being urgently addressed. The platform emphasized that Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) is illegal and strictly prohibited under its terms of service.
The issue arose following the rollout of an “edit image” button on Grok in late December. This feature allows users to modify existing images on the platform. Reports indicate that some users utilized the AI to partially or completely remove clothing from subjects in photographs, including minors.
While xAI responded to inquiries with a brief automated message claiming “the mainstream media lies,” authorities are taking the matter seriously.
Indian government officials have demanded details on measures being taken to remove non-consensual suggestive content.
Meanwhile, prosecutors in Paris have expanded an ongoing investigation into X to include accusations of disseminating child pornography via Grok.
This incident adds to a string of controversies for Grok, which has previously been criticized for spreading misinformation and controversial statements regarding global conflicts and sensitive social issues.
