Elon Musk’s startup xAI has limited users to use some image generation features on its Grok chatbot on X (formerly Twitter) after receiving massive criticism over sexualized content.
Previously, Grok was able to edit photos of people without even receiving consent, sparking outrage among the social medi community.
On Friday, Grok announced the exclusion of image generation and editing features for all users; however, it only remains accessible for the paid subscribers.
The significant move has curbed automatic publication of sexualized images in response to posts or comments.
However, users can still use the Grok tab within X and the standalone Grok app to generate images without a subscription and post them manually.
The platform’s CEO Musk has warned that anyone using Grok to create illegal content would face similar consequences to the ones who directly uploaded such material.
European lawmakers criticized the subscription restriction, saying it does not address concerns over illegal sexualized content, especially involving women and children.
The European Commission called the images “unlawful and appalling.” German media minister Wolfram Weimer explained the increase of semi-nude AI-generated images as the “industrialization of sexual harassment.”
Other regulators have launched inquiries and urged the platform to take strict measures to prevent the generation of illegal content generated by AI tools like Grok.
