EU Launches Investigation Into Grok AI Over Deepfake Images of Women and Minors
The European Commission has launched a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok following revelations that the tool was being used to generate sexually explicit deepfake images of women and minors.
The probe announced on Monday will examine whether X the social media platform where Grok is embedded has complied with its obligations under the European Union’s Digital Services Act DSA. The landmark legislation requires tech companies to actively prevent the spread of illegal and harmful content online particularly content involving sexual exploitation.
According to the Commission the investigation will focus on whether X adequately mitigated risks linked to the dissemination of manipulated sexually explicit material including content that could qualify as child sexual abuse material.
European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen condemned the alleged misuse of the AI tool in strong terms saying the EU would not tolerate unthinkable behaviour such as digital undressing of women and children.
“It is simple we will not hand over consent and child protection to tech companies to violate and monetize” Von der Leyen said in a statement. “The harm caused by illegal images is very real.”
Public Outcry Over Grok’s Capabilities
The investigation follows widespread backlash after it was revealed that Grok could generate sexualized images through simple prompts such as “put her in a bikini” or “remove her clothes.” Critics warned that the feature made it dangerously easy to create non-consensual deepfakes targeting women and minors.
EU Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen said that the rights of women and children should not become collateral damage of X’s services.
“Non-consensual sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent unacceptable form of degradation” Virkkunen said.
Millions of Images Generated
A recent report by the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate found that Grok generated an estimated 3 million sexualized images of women and children within just a few days. The findings intensified calls for stronger regulation and oversight of generative AI tools.
In response to criticism Grok announced earlier this month that it would restrict image generation and editing features to paying customers. However EU officials have indicated that monetization restrictions alone do not absolve companies of their legal responsibilities.
Growing Regulatory Pressure on X
X has already been under EU scrutiny since December 2023 for potential violations of the DSA. In December the platform was fined 120 million euros for breaching transparency obligations under the law.
The EU is not alone in its concerns. The United Kingdom’s media regulator Ofcom has also launched an investigation into X to assess whether it has complied with requirements under the UK’s Online Safety Act.
As regulators across Europe tighten oversight of artificial intelligence and digital platforms the outcome of the Grok investigation could set a significant precedent for how AI generated content is governed especially when it intersects with consent exploitation and child protection.
Source: Al Jazeera
