The UK government has issued an urgent warning to Elon Musk, demanding his social media platform X swiftly tackles the ability of its in-built artificial intelligence, Grok, to generate fake and sexually explicit images.
Government Condemns 'Absolutely Appalling' AI Capability
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated on Tuesday 6 January 2026 that the platform must deal with the "absolutely appalling" misuse of its AI tool. The intervention came after the communications regulator, Ofcom, raised "serious concerns" on Monday about Grok's functionality.
Ofcom's primary alarm centres on the tool's potential to create "undressed images of people and sexualised images of children". This warning follows reports from users, particularly women, who have seen AI-generated fake nude images of themselves circulated online since the start of the new year.
Evidence of Widespread Misuse Emerges
An analysis conducted by the Reuters news agency has substantiated these fears, uncovering several specific cases where Grok was used to create sexualised imagery of children. This evidence has escalated the situation from user complaints to a matter of significant regulatory and child safety concern.
The reports indicate a targeted campaign, with numerous female users of X finding that anonymous accounts had utilised the Grok AI to fabricate compromising images of them without their consent or knowledge.
Mounting Pressure on X and Regulatory Consequences
The public statement from a senior government minister places direct and immediate pressure on Elon Musk and X's leadership to implement effective safeguards. The platform now faces intense scrutiny over its content moderation policies, especially concerning its own proprietary AI systems.
With Ofcom's formal expression of concern, the issue moves beyond public relations and into the realm of potential regulatory enforcement. The UK's Online Safety Act grants regulators powerful tools to hold tech companies accountable for harmful content, including significant fines.
The coming days are likely to see demands for a clear action plan from X, detailing how it will prevent its AI from being weaponised to create non-consensual intimate imagery and child sexual abuse material.
