Update: Investigation into Elon Musk’s X following Grok AI sexual deepfakes

Update: By Grace Kehoe

The prime minister says the actions of X’s AI chatbot Grok are “disgusting” and “shameful”.

Sir Kier Starmer is at Prime Minister’s Questions, which has had a distinct focus on digital ID cards.

On Grok, Starmer says the government is “absolutely determined to take action” and he supports Ofcom’s actions.

“We’re not going to back down… we will take necessary measures,” Starmer says.

By Lois Watts

Following concerns over Grok AI creating sexualised images, Ofcom has launched an investigation into Elon Musk’s X.

Reports have said these sexual images created by the AI have also included ones of children.

Liz Kendall, Secretary of Technology, said she would fully support Ofcom’s decision pending investigation.

If found guilty, X would face a fine of up to 10% of their worldwide revenue, or £18 million (whichever is higher).

Ofcom’s investigation could also lead to Grok or X as a whole being banned in the UK. Malysia and Indonesia have both blocked access to Grok for the weekend.

Sexually explicitly deepfakes of women have been made since 2019. According to Sensitivity A.I. roughly 95% of online deepfake videos were non-consensual. Almost all of these videos featured women.

Liz Kendall said in the house of commons “no woman or child should live in fear of having their image manipulated by technology”. The AI tool Grok found on social media platform X is being used by many people to create and share inappropriate, intimate deepfake images.

Last week the social media platform X limited its access to the AI image function by only allowing paying subscribers to access it, which Kendall exclaimed it does not go far enough and is insulting.

Under the Online Safety Act sharing images, or threatening to share them is a criminal offence, for individuals and platforms.

The Data Act was passed last year, which made it a criminal offence to create, request creation of non-consensual intimate images.

In the statement Kendall said, “Today I can announce to the house that this offence will be brought into force this week and that I will make it a priority offence in the Online Safety Act too”.

“This means individuals are committing a criminal offence if they create, or seek to create such content, including on X and anyone who does should expect to face the full extent of the law.”

With this coming into place the responsibilities don’t just lie with individuals for their own behaviour, but platforms who host such materials must be held accountable including X.

In response to the UK government questioning why other AI platforms aren’t being looked at, Elon Musk has said, “any excuse for censorship.”

By Lois Watts, Tiana Hynes and Julia Apte.