How Grok’s AI Images Prompted Worldwide Regulatory Action

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok is facing mounting global backlash after reports revealed it generated sexualized images of women and children without consent.

The controversy centers on Grok Imagine, an image-generation feature launched last year that allows users to create visuals from text prompts, including through a so-called “spicy mode” that enables adult content.

Concerns escalated after users were able to manipulate existing images posted on X, generating explicit visuals that quickly spread across the platform.

A report by nonprofit AI Forensics found that among 20,000 Grok-generated images analyzed, a portion appeared to depict individuals who looked under the age of 18 in sexualized contexts. Because Grok’s outputs are publicly visible, critics warn the content is easily amplified and difficult to contain.

Governments and regulators across Europe, Asia, and Latin America have condemned the tool. Officials in the United Kingdom, European Union, France, India, Malaysia, Poland, and Brazil have demanded urgent action, launched investigations, or cited the issue as grounds for stricter digital safety laws.

Several regulators emphasized that sexually explicit AI content involving minors is illegal and unacceptable.

X has said it removes illegal material and suspends offending accounts, while Musk’s AI company xAI has offered limited public response.