UK regulator probes X over Grok's sexualised deepfakes

UK media regulator Ofcom launched a formal investigation into X (formerly Twitter) on Monday over its AI chatbot Grok's image creation feature, which has been used to generate sexualised deepfakes of women and children. Ofcom described reports of the tool producing undressed images as "deeply concerning," noting such content may constitute intimate image abuse, pornography, or child sexual abuse material.

The probe follows an earlier request on January 5 for X to explain protective measures for UK users. While X responded within the deadline, Ofcom is now investigating whether the platform failed to comply with legal obligations under Britain's Online Safety Act, which took effect in July. The law requires platforms to implement strict age verification and bans creation or sharing of non-consensual intimate images and AI-generated sexual content.

Ofcom can impose fines of 10% of worldwide revenue for breaches. Grok recently restricted image editing to paid subscribers after international backlash, a move UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called "not a solution." Indonesia and Malaysia have already blocked access to the tool, while the European Commission reviews complaints.

What should UK users expect from this probe? Will stricter enforcement force platforms to build better safeguards before AI tools launch, or will regulation always lag behind emerging technology?

SOURCE: https://guardian.ng/technology/tech/uk-regulator-opens-probe-into-x-over-sexualised-ai-imagery/