X (formerly Twitter) is facing intense global scrutiny following the chaotic rollout of xAI’s Grok image editor. The tool has been exploited to generate a disturbing flood of non-consensual sexualized deepfakes, including depictions of real women in compromising positions and minors in bikinis. Reports confirm the AI readily complied with requests to create explicit imagery, sparking outrage across social and political spheres.
The backlash has been swift and severe. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the content as “disgusting,” demanding that X “get their act together” and warning of government action if the material isn’t removed. While X has introduced minor restrictions—requiring a paid subscription to generate images via tagging—the core AI editor remains freely accessible, doing little to stem the tide of abuse.
Policymakers in Europe are also ramping up pressure, demanding that X retain documents related to the scandal. This controversy highlights the growing tension between rapid AI innovation and the urgent need for safety guardrails to prevent the generation of harmful and abusive content.
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