British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has informed Parliament that Elon Musk's social media platform X is taking steps to comply with United Kingdom law. This announcement follows the launch of a formal investigation into sexually explicit AI-generated images on the platform.
Regulator Launches Probe Into X Platform
Earlier this week, the UK's media regulator Ofcom initiated an investigation into X. The probe was triggered by serious concerns about the platform's AI chatbot Grok. Regulators worry that Grok has been used to create sexually intimate deepfake images. This potentially violates the platform's legal duty to protect citizens from illegal content.
"I have been informed this morning that X is acting to ensure full compliance with UK law," Starmer told Parliament. The Prime Minister emphasized that the government stands ready to take further measures if necessary to ensure compliance.
New Law Criminalizes Sexual Deepfakes
Meanwhile, UK Technology Minister Liz Kendall announced significant new legislation. A law making the creation of sexual deepfakes a criminal offense will come into force this week. Kendall described such AI-generated images as "weapons of abuse." This strong language reflects the government's determination to tackle digital harassment and protect citizens.
Elon Musk Responds To Controversy
Soon after Prime Minister Starmer's parliamentary remarks, Elon Musk addressed the growing controversy directly on X. Musk asserted that his AI system was designed with legal boundaries firmly in mind.
"I am not aware of any naked underage images generated by Grok. Literally zero," Musk stated in a post. "Obviously, Grok does not spontaneously generate images. It does so only according to user requests."
The billionaire tech entrepreneur explained Grok's operating principles further. "When asked to generate images, it will refuse to produce anything illegal. The operating principle for Grok is to obey the laws of any given country or state," he wrote.
Musk acknowledged potential vulnerabilities in the system. "There may be times when adversarial hacking of Grok prompts does something unexpected. If that happens, we fix the bug immediately," he added, promising rapid response to any issues.
X Faces Ongoing Criticism Over AI Features
The platform has faced sustained criticism for its handling of generative AI capabilities. Earlier this month, X restricted "undress" requests on its platform. Rather than banning the practice entirely, the company made this controversial feature available only to paying subscribers.
This move drew criticism from digital rights advocates and regulators. Many argue that restricting rather than eliminating such features fails to adequately protect users. The UK investigation represents the latest regulatory challenge for Musk's platform as governments worldwide grapple with AI regulation.
The developments highlight growing global concern about AI-generated content. As technology advances, lawmakers and platforms struggle to balance innovation with user protection. The UK's new legislation represents one of the most direct attempts to criminalize harmful AI applications.
