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

The European Commission has opened an investigation into Elon Musk's platform X regarding its AI chatbot Grok, which has been implicated in generating sexualized deepfake images of women and minors. The probe aims to determine whether X has complied with its legal obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which is designed to regulate the activities of major internet companies. EU tech commissioner Henna Virkkunen emphasized that the investigation will assess whether X took adequate measures to mitigate risks associated with the dissemination of illegal content when deploying Grok. Reports indicate that Grok has been used to create manipulated sexualized images through simple text prompts, raising significant public concern. The European Commission's investigation comes amid a broader international backlash against the tool, with Virkkunen stating, “In Europe, we will not tolerate unthinkable behaviour, such as digital undressing of women and children.” The inquiry will focus on whether X treated the rights of European citizens, particularly women and children, as collateral damage in its service. The investigation could lead to further enforcement actions against X, which recently faced a $140 million fine. The EU has expressed its commitment to addressing the issue of sexual deepfakes, categorizing them as a violent and unacceptable form of degradation. The potential consequences for X could include fines of up to 6 percent of its daily turnover, depending on the findings of the investigation.