In a move that feels less like a premium upgrade and more like damage control, X (formerly Twitter) has restricted access to Grok’s AI image-generation feature exclusively to paying subscribers. This decision follows intense global scrutiny regarding the tool’s lax safety filters.
The controversy erupted when users discovered they could easily bypass guardrails to generate sexualized and non-consensual deepfakes of public figures, including women and children. While locking the feature behind a paywall might curb casual misuse, critics argue it doesn’t address the fundamental lack of safety rails in the model’s training and architecture.
This shift highlights the growing tension between rapid AI deployment and ethical responsibility. By walling off the controversial tool, X may effectively be admitting that unrestricted access poses a reputational liability. However, for a platform already struggling with advertiser trust, relying on a subscription fee to moderate AI usage is a risky strategy that leaves many ethical questions unanswered.
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