Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, has disabled its image generation feature for non-paying users following widespread backlash over the creation of sexualised deepfake images involving women and children.
The move comes amid mounting regulatory pressure, with several countries warning of fines and taking action against Musk’s social media platform, X, over the circulation of explicit and unlawful AI-generated content.
Reports indicate that some users exploited Grok’s image tool to create images of women and minors undressed or placed in sexually explicit scenarios, prompting public outrage and government intervention.
Responding to user complaints on X on Friday, Grok announced the restriction, stating:
“Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers. You can subscribe to unlock these features.”
The decision effectively blocks free users from generating or editing images on the platform. Access to the feature is now limited to paid subscribers, who must provide credit card details and personal information.
The European Commission earlier this week described the AI-generated images of undressed women and children as unlawful. On Thursday, it ordered X to preserve all internal documents and data related to Grok until the end of 2026 as part of ongoing regulatory scrutiny.
In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the images, describing them as illegal and unacceptable. According to media reports, Starmer said X must “get a grip of this” and confirmed he had instructed the communications regulator, Ofcom, to consider all possible enforcement options.
“We are not going to tolerate it,” the British leader said.
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Authorities in France, Malaysia, and India have also criticised Musk’s platform over the misuse of the AI tool and its failure to prevent the spread of explicit content.
Musk, responding to the controversy last week, warned that users who generate illegal material using Grok would face consequences.
“Anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content,” he wrote on X.
X’s official Safety account later reiterated the platform’s stance, stating that illegal content is addressed through removal, permanent account suspensions, and cooperation with local governments and law enforcement agencies where necessary.
The backlash has renewed global debate over the regulation of generative AI tools, particularly their misuse for deepfake content and the protection of women and children online.
