Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has declared the UK government will not back down in its confrontation with Elon Musk's social media platform X, following a scandal over its AI tool generating nonconsensual sexual images.
Prime Minister Condemns 'Horrific' AI Feature
During Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday 14 January 2026, Sir Keir labelled the images produced by X's Grok AI as "disgusting" and "shameful". He was responding to a question from Labour MP Emily Darlington. The Prime Minister expressed particular outrage at X's decision to limit some functions of the image-editing tool to paying subscribers, calling the move "horrific" and accusing the platform of effectively monetising abuse.
Sir Keir stated that while he had been informed X was acting to ensure compliance with UK law, the government's stance remained firm. "If so, that is welcome, but we're not going to back down, and they must act," he told the Commons.
Regulator Investigates as Ministers Threaten Ban
The row escalated after the UK media regulator, Ofcom, launched a formal investigation into X on Monday. The probe was triggered by mounting reports that Grok was being used to manipulate images of women and children to sexualise them without their consent.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall pledged the watchdog would have the government's full support to take action. She warned that potential measures could include effectively banning the platform in the UK if X fails to make necessary changes. Ms Kendall also confirmed that new legislation, creating a criminal offence for creating or requesting non-consensual intimate images, would come into force this week in direct response to the Grok outcry.
Government Pledges Legislative Response
Outlining the government's next steps, the Prime Minister said ministers were "absolutely determined to take action". He committed to a three-pronged approach:
- Taking necessary immediate measures against X.
- Strengthening existing online safety laws.
- Preparing new legislation if required.
Sir Keir confirmed that Ofcom's independent investigation would continue. The government's robust stance puts it on a direct collision course with X's owner, billionaire Elon Musk, who has previously claimed that regulatory threats are an attempt to censor his platform.
