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Grok AI Faces Probes Over Nonconsensual Deepfakes

Is Musk enabling exploitation through Grok or are outdated regulations failing to address AI risks?

Published FEB 20

Grok AI Faces Probes Over Nonconsensual Deepfakes

Story

Above: The illustration shows an iPhone with the Grok logo within the Grok AI app on Jan. 11. Image credit: Anna Barclay/Getty Images

The Facts

House Democrats sent a letter to Elon Musk on Thursday criticizing his AI chatbot Grok for creating sexualized deepfakes of real people without consent. The letter was signed by Reps. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), who demanded answers by March 5.
NBC
eWEEK
This comes as Ireland's Data Protection Commission announced Tuesday it was opening an inquiry into X under EU privacy regulations after Grok generated nonconsensual intimate images. The investigation will examine whether X unlawfully processed personal data involving Europeans, including children.
eWEEK
PBS News
Additionally, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced his government ordered prosecutors to investigate X, Meta and TikTok over alleged crimes related to AI-generated child sex abuse material. Sánchez wrote that "these platforms are attacking the mental health, dignity and rights of our sons and daughters."
Common Dreams
PBS News
At one point last month, Grok was creating thousands of sexualized AI-generated images every hour using faces of real people and posting them on X. A study reported that Grok produced 7,751 sexualized images in one hour, according to separate analyses.
Democrats
NBC
The European Commission opened a formal investigation into X under the Digital Services Act last month, focusing on risks associated with Grok's deployment. EU lawmakers are considering adding pornification AI systems to the AI Act's list of banned uses through an omnibus package.
eWEEK
Euractiv
Musk said he was unaware of any nude images of minors and argued that Grok "will refuse to produce anything illegal." He blamed users for misuse, stating that "adversarial hacking of Grok prompts" may cause unexpected results that the company fixes immediately.
eWEEK
NBC

Sources Split

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CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

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PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

Musk's refusal to stop Grok from generating nonconsensual sexualized images, including child sexual abuse material, is reprehensible and puts countless victims at extreme risk. The tool has produced millions of exploitative images despite clear warnings, violating both platform policies and federal law while Musk deflects blame onto users. Global investigations from the EU, Ireland, Spain and beyond confirm these platforms are attacking the dignity and rights of women and children with impunity.

Democrats

Common Dreams

Narrative B

Grok is designed to prevent the creation of illegal content, and any misuse likely arises from user manipulations. The company has committed to promptly addressing and resolving any incidents related to adversarial hacking of Grok prompts, emphasizing their dedication to user safety and the responsible use of technology.

Elon Musk on X

Narrative C

The Grok controversy has exposed critical gaps in existing digital regulations that were never designed to address AI chatbot risks, prompting necessary discussions about updating enforcement frameworks. While Musk implemented restrictions after concerns emerged, policymakers are now working to close legal loopholes and establish clear rules around consent and AI-generated content. The slow pace of EU investigations demonstrates that current platform rules cannot offer quick solutions to rapidly evolving AI technologies.

Euractiv