UK media regulator Ofcom has established “urgent contact” with xAI, the artificial intelligence company owned by Elon Musk, following allegations that its Grok chatbot can generate sexualised images of children and non-consensual explicit images of women.
The intervention comes amid widespread concern over Grok’s image-generation capabilities on X, where users have shared instances of the AI being used to digitally “undress” women or place them in sexualised scenarios without their consent.
Ofcom has confirmed that it is investigating whether Grok’s use breaches the UK’s Online Safety Act, which prohibits creating or sharing intimate or sexually explicit images, including AI-generated “deepfakes”, without consent.
An Ofcom spokesperson stated that the regulator is also examining claims that Grok has produced “undressed images” of individuals, emphasising that technology companies are legally required to take appropriate measures to prevent UK users from accessing illegal content and to promptly remove such material once reported.
X has not publicly responded to Ofcom’s request for clarification. However, over the weekend, the platform warned users against using Grok to generate illegal material, including child sexual abuse imagery. Musk also posted on X, noting that anyone prompting Grok to create illegal content would face the same consequences as if they had uploaded such content themselves.
Despite this, Grok’s acceptable use policy, which explicitly prohibits depicting real people in a pornographic manner, appears to have been routinely bypassed. Images of high-profile figures, including Catherine, Princess of Wales, were reportedly manipulated using the AI tool.
The Internet Watch Foundation confirmed receiving reports from the public about Grok-generated images but stated that it had not identified content meeting the legal threshold for child sexual abuse material under UK law.
The issue has also drawn attention beyond the UK. The European Commission announced it was “seriously looking into the matter”, while regulators in France, Malaysia, and India are reportedly assessing whether Grok breaches local laws.
Thomas Regnier, a European Commission spokesperson, described the content as “appalling” and “disgusting”, asserting that there is “no place” for such material in Europe. X was fined €120 million (£104 million) by EU regulators in December for breaching its obligations under the Digital Services Act.
Criticism has intensified from UK politicians. Dame Chi Onwurah, chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, called the allegations “deeply disturbing” and argued that existing safeguards were failing to protect the public. She described the Online Safety Act as “woefully inadequate” and urged for stronger enforcement powers against social media platforms.
The controversy has also highlighted the human impact of AI misuse. Journalist Samantha Smith told the BBC that seeing AI-generated images of herself in a bikini was “as violating as if someone had posted a real explicit image”.
“It looked like me. It felt like me. And it was dehumanising,” she said.
The Home Office confirmed it is progressing legislation to outlaw “nudification” tools altogether, proposing a new criminal offence that would see suppliers of such technology face prison sentences and substantial fines.
As regulators tighten scrutiny, the Grok episode has become a flashpoint in the broader debate over AI accountability, platform responsibility, and the limits of free expression in the age of generative technology.
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