EU opens probe into Elon Musk’s Grok over sexual AI deepfakes

The European Union has launched a formal investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X regarding its AI chatbot Grok, which has been linked to the generation of sexually explicit deepfake images. This inquiry was initiated following public outrage over Grok's ability to produce sexualized images of individuals, including women and minors, based on simple text prompts such as “put her in a bikini” or “remove her clothes” (The Guardian, France24). The investigation will also examine X's recommender systems, which help users discover new content (The Guardian). The European Commission aims to determine whether X has adequately addressed the risks associated with the dissemination of illegal content, particularly concerning manipulated sexually explicit images and potential child sexual abuse material (CSAM) (Engadget). Henna Virkkunen, the Commission's executive vice president, stated that sexual deepfakes of women and children represent a violent and unacceptable form of degradation. The inquiry will assess if X has fulfilled its legal obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA) (France24, Engadget). This investigation could lead to significant consequences for X, including potential fines of up to 6 percent of its daily turnover (Ars Technica). The EU's actions reflect a broader international backlash against AI tools that produce harmful content, particularly those that exploit vulnerable individuals (Deutsche Welle, Ars Technica). Recently, X faced scrutiny and was fined $140 million, indicating the seriousness of regulatory concerns regarding the platform's content management practices (Engadget). In addition to the EU investigation, a similar inquiry was initiated by the U.K. watchdog Ofcom earlier this month, which could result in further regulatory actions against Musk's company (Variety). The outcome of these investigations may have significant implications for the future of AI-generated content on social media platforms.