The EU is investigating Grok and X over potentially illegal deepfakes

The European Commission has initiated a formal investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X, focusing on its AI chatbot Grok, which has been implicated in generating sexually explicit deepfake images. The inquiry is a response to concerns regarding Grok's ability to produce sexualized images of individuals, including women and minors, based on simple text prompts. Advocacy groups and lawmakers have raised alarms about the potential for Grok to create harmful content, prompting the Commission to assess whether X has adequately addressed the risks associated with the dissemination of illegal content, particularly manipulated sexually explicit images and child sexual abuse material (CSAM) (France24, Deutsche Welle). The investigation will evaluate whether X has met its legal obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA) and whether it has taken appropriate measures to mitigate risks related to Grok's image-generating capabilities. The Commission's executive vice president, Henna Virkkunen, stated that sexual deepfakes of women and children represent a violent and unacceptable form of degradation. The inquiry aims to determine if X has treated the rights of European citizens, particularly those of vulnerable groups, as collateral damage of its service (PRIMARY SOURCE). This investigation could lead to further enforcement actions against X, which has recently faced scrutiny and was fined $140 million. The potential consequences for Musk's company could include fines of up to 6 percent of its daily turnover, reflecting the broader international backlash against AI tools that produce harmful content (Ars Technica, The Verge). The outcome of this investigation may have significant implications for the future of AI-generated content on social media platforms (BBC).