Britain has formally demanded explanations from X, owned by Elon Musk. This follows after its artificial intelligence chatbot Grok generated undressed images of people and sexualised images involving children.
The issue has raised serious concerns about whether X and its AI developer xAI are meeting their legal obligations. These obligations are to protect users in the United Kingdom.
Grok acknowledged on Friday that failures in its safety systems had allowed “images depicting minors in minimal clothing” to appear on the platform. The company said it was urgently working to strengthen safeguards and block such content entirely.
Britain’s media regulator Ofcom confirmed it is aware of the issue and has taken immediate action. A spokesperson said the regulator had contacted X and xAI. They are to determine what steps were being taken to comply with UK laws designed to protect users from harmful and illegal material.
Our statement on Grok ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/UsXh96zjQY
— Ofcom (@Ofcom) January 5, 2026“Serious concerns have been raised,” the spokesperson said. They added that platforms operating in the UK have a clear legal duty. This duty is to prevent users from encountering illegal content and to remove it swiftly once identified.
Under British law, the creation or distribution of non-consensual intimate images and child sexual abuse material is a criminal offence. This includes sexually explicit deepfakes generated by artificial intelligence. Technology companies must actively prevent such material from appearing on their services.
UK regulators asks X about reports its Grok AI makes "sexualised images of children" and undresses women.
Sickening.
X profits but not good at monitoring.
Enable people to sue social platforms. Give everyone a copyright of their face, voice, body parts.https://t.co/j1cV09mvNz
— Prem Sikka (@premnsikka) January 5, 2026The UK intervention follows similar action in France, where government ministers reported X to prosecutors and regulators. French authorities described the content as “sexual and sexist” and said it was “manifestly illegal.”
Read: Elon Musk’s Grok Faces Backlash Over Bondi Beach Shooting Misinformation
The growing scrutiny highlights increasing pressure on technology firms to ensure AI tools operate within legal and ethical boundaries. Regulators across Europe have signalled that failures to protect users, particularly children, could result in significant legal consequences.
