xAI, founded by Elon Musk, is facing sharp global criticism after its chatbot Grok generated sexualised “deepfake” images of women and children. The controversy has triggered bans, investigations, and regulatory warnings across several countries.
Grok operates through Musk’s social media platform X, where users can tag the chatbot and request image generation. Until last week, Grok responded publicly with edited images.
Many users exploited the feature. They asked Grok to alter photos of women by adding bikinis or removing clothing. The tool delivered photorealistic results. This practice normalised non-consensual image manipulation.
Public anger intensified when users created sexualised images of minors. Others targeted victims of recent tragedies, including women killed in a New Year’s fire at a Swiss ski resort and a woman shot by an immigration officer in the US.
We take action against illegal content on X, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary.
Anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the… https://t.co/93kiIBTCYO
— Safety (@Safety) January 4, 2026A study by Paris-based AI Forensics reviewed more than 20,000 Grok-generated images. It found that more than half depicted people in minimal clothing. Most subjects were women. About two percent appeared to be under 18.
How Governments Responded
Indonesia became the first country to block Grok completely. Malaysia followed within a day. India ordered X to remove thousands of posts and hundreds of accounts linked to the issue.
In the UK, the media regulator Ofcom opened an investigation into whether X breached national laws on harmful content. Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that authorities would act swiftly if the platform failed to comply.
France escalated the matter further. Children’s commissioner Sarah El Hairy referred the images to prosecutors and regulators. At the EU level, the European Commission ordered X to preserve all Grok-related data until the end of 2026. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc would not compromise on child protection.
xAI and Musk’s Response
X’s safety team said it removes illegal content and suspends accounts involved in child sexual abuse material. Musk warned that users who create illegal images would face serious consequences.
Despite this, Musk drew criticism after resharing a joke image linked to the controversy. By January 9, xAI restricted Grok’s image generation feature to paying subscribers.
Musk later pushed back against political pressure. He claimed critics were using the issue to suppress free speech.
The Grok scandal has become a defining moment in the regulation of generative AI. Governments now face mounting pressure to act more quickly and decisively. The case highlights the risks of unchecked AI tools and the growing demand for accountability in the tech industry.
