Name: X to stop Grok AI from undressing images of real people after backlash | BBC News
Uploaded: 2026-01-15T16:59:24.000Z
Duration: 4 min 37 s
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Elon Musk's AI tool Grok, will no longer be able to edit photos of real people in order to digitally undress them in places where it's illegal to do so.

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The tool is used on the social media platform X and there's been widespread concern about fake photos of people in revealing clothing without their consent.

The UK regulator Ofcom says it welcomes the development, but

an investigation into whether the law has been broken remains ongoing.

Our technology editor Zoe Kleinman reports.

Grok and the social network X have been under fire for several days over the AI tool's controversial feature, which enabled it to create and share sexualized images of women and children.

Put this woman in a bikini, put bruises on her.

Some commands given to Grok via posts on X, along with a photo of a real person used without their consent.

GROK complied and published its responding image publicly back on X.

Ashley Sinclair is the mother of one of Elon Musk's children.

It's incredibly violating and it's also how realistic it is because these look very real, these images, and

they also have real parts of my real life, like my real son's backpack in the background, that was kept in these photos as they were altered.

Following pressure from governments, campaigners and regulators around the world, X now says this will no longer be be the case.

In a statement, the company we have implemented technological measures to prevent the Grok accounts from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothes, such as bikinis.

This restriction applies to all users, including subscribers.

X added that it had zero tolerance for any form of child sexual exploitation and unwanted sexual content.

It has already restricted the use of the photo editing tool ONX to those who pay for it and are, in theory, easier to identify.

This will apply in countries where it's illegal.

Here in the uk, a law is promised to come into effect this week which criminalises the creation of sexual AI deepfakes without consent.

Until now, it's only been illegal to share them.

Downing street says excess compliance is vindication for the government.

I think it's a testament to all of the campaigners.

I think it's a testament to the Prime Minister and the government, my colleagues, for taking a tough line to protect the public and to protect our kids in particular.

And I'm glad that we forced this change in approach.

It's unusual to see one of Elon Musk's companies comply with the authorities without putting up a fight, a symbol of how serious this situation really is.

It remains to be seen whether X's technical measures will be sufficiently robust.

And it doesn't get X off the hook either.

The UK's online regulator Ofcom says its investigation into the company and whether it's already broken the laws of the Online Safety act will continue.

This should not be game over for what's been happening on X.

X is responsible for some serious abuses and harms and it must be held accountable.

But particularly we need to ensure that X has the controls in place so that this does not happen again in future.

We do not want new technology to be developed and rolled out with similar consequences.

This is a landmark moment for the tech industry and its regulators in terms of establishing and enforcing new boundaries.

One thing the GROK crisis has shown us in real time is how difficult tech regulation is.

We've already got numerous laws in place designed to protect people from digital harm, but

this week the government has still had to scramble to enforce another new rule that's specifically designed to deal with sexualized AI deepfakes.

But but it has stood its ground and it has forced changed with a company based in the US where the White House that's very protective of its tech businesses and anything that it perceives to be an attack of freedom of speech.

It's also worth noting that both the government and many senior politicians have remained active on the platform X this whole time.

About an hour ago, the Prime Minister sent a post to his 2 million followers in which he wrote, free speech is not the freedom to violate consent.

Young women's images are not public property and their safety is not up for debate.

He also said he was prepared to strengthen laws further if required.

I think what we'll probably see now is more scrutiny of other AI tools as well, because technically they're also capable of producing these images.

They just aren't sharing them on social media.