Ofcom Questions X’s Grok Over Creation of Sexualized Images of Women and Children

The U.K. technology secretary condemned a surge of images showing women and children with digitally removed clothing, generated by X’s Grok AI. The secretary described the images as “appalling and unacceptable in decent society.” Ofcom made “urgent contact” with X to require answers over the AI images.

X’s Grok Generates Sexualized AI Images of Women and Children

On the social media platform X, numerous users have asked the chatbot to alter real images, putting women in bikinis or sexual situations without their consent.

After thousands of intimate deepfakes spread online, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall, urged X, Elon Musk’s platform, to “deal with this urgently” and supported the U.K. regulator Ofcom in taking “any enforcement action it deems necessary.”

She emphasized, “We cannot and will not allow the proliferation of these demeaning and degrading images, which are disproportionately aimed at women and girls,” she said. “Make no mistake, the U.K. will not tolerate the endless proliferation of disgusting and abusive material online. We must all come together to stamp it out.”

Kendall's comments came amid calls to strengthen the Online Safety Act, designed to combat online harms and protect children.

Jessaline Caine, a survivor of child sexual abuse, condemned the government’s response as “spineless.” She told The Guardian that as of Tuesday morning, the chatbot still complied with requests to manipulate an image of her as a three-year-old, dressing her in a string bikini.

“Other platforms have these safeguards so why does Grok allow the creation of these images?” she said. “The images I’ve seen are so vile and degrading. The government has been very reactive. These AI tools need better regulation.”

Ofcom Questions X Over Reports of Sexualized Images of Children and Women

Ofcom has made urgent contact with Elon Musk’s company xAI following reports that its AI tool Grok can create “sexualized images of children” and undress women.

Under the Online Safety Act (OSA), Ofcom states it is illegal to produce or share intimate or sexually explicit images, including AI-generated “deepfakes” of a person without their consent.

On Monday, Ofcom acknowledged serious concerns about Grok generating undressed images of people and sexualized images of children. The regulator said it reached out to X and xAI “to understand what steps they have taken to comply with their legal duties to protect users in the U.K.” and will consider launching an investigation depending on the company’s response.

Pressure is mounting on ministers to take a tougher stance. Online child safety campaigner Beeban Kidron urged the government to “show some backbone” and called for the Online Safety Act to be reassessed.

Speaking about X, she said, “If any other consumer product caused this level of harm, it would already have been recalled.”

Kidron stressed that Ofcom must act “in days, not years” and encouraged users to abandon “products that show no serious intent to prevent harm to children, women, and democracy.”

Jake Moore, a global cybersecurity adviser at security software company ESET, criticized the “tennis game” between platforms like X and U.K. regulators, calling the government’s response “worryingly slow.” He warned that as AI increasingly generates fake images and extends them into longer videos, the impact on people’s lives will only worsen.

“It is unbelievable that this is able to occur in 2026,” Moore said. “We have to move forward with extreme regulation. Any grey area we offer will be abused. The government is not understanding the bigger picture here.”

Kidron added that while AI-generated images of children in bikinis may not legally qualify as child sexual abuse material, they violate children’s privacy and autonomy.

“We cannot live in a world in which a kid can’t post a picture of winning a race unless they are willing to be sexualised and humiliated,” she said.

Ofcom can fine tech platforms up to £18 million or 10% of their qualifying global revenues, whichever is higher. The largest fine so far was issued last month when a porn provider that failed to conduct mandatory age checks was fined £1 million.

X’s Grok AI Apologizes for Generating Fake Sexualized Images

X apologized after Grok, the chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s AI company xAI, generated sexualized images of children due to failures in its content safeguards.

On Sunday, X warned users not to use Grok to create illegal content, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The warning stated, “We take action against illegal content on X, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary. Anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content.” 

Elon Musk also emphasized that anyone who asks the AI to generate illegal material will “suffer the same consequences” as those who upload it themselves.

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