Downing Street has issued a scathing condemnation of X, formerly Twitter, after the platform restricted its controversial AI image creation tool to paying subscribers only. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister labelled the move as 'insulting to victims of misogyny and sexual violence', arguing it effectively turns the generation of unlawful imagery into a premium feature.
Widespread Anger Over AI-Generated Deepfakes
The row erupted after X's AI tool, named Grok, was reportedly used to manipulate thousands of images of women and children. The technology was exploited to create non-consensual deepfake content, including removing subjects' clothing or placing them in sexualised positions. This sparked significant public and political outrage over the weekend.
In response to the backlash, X announced via a post on its platform that the ability to generate and edit images with Grok would be 'limited to paying subscribers'. The company, owned by Elon Musk, stated that paying users must provide personal details, which could theoretically help identify anyone misusing the function.
'Not a Solution' Says No 10
However, the Prime Minister's official spokesperson forcefully rejected this approach. 'The move simply turns an AI feature that allows the creation of unlawful images into a premium service,' they stated. 'It's not a solution. In fact, it's insulting.'
The spokesperson drew a direct comparison to traditional media, arguing, 'If another media company had billboards in town centres showing unlawful images, it would act immediately to take them down or face public backlash.' They emphasised that X had demonstrated it could act swiftly when it chose to, and urged the platform to 'grip this issue' immediately.
Government Considers Its Own Position on X
When pressed on whether the government would take further action, such as leaving the X platform entirely, the Downing Street spokesperson confirmed 'all options are on the table'. They added that the government would support any measures taken by the UK's media regulator, Ofcom.
Earlier on Friday, Labour's chair and a minister without portfolio, Anna Turley, indicated that while there was no collective government decision to leave X, individual ministers were considering doing so. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Turley said, 'Those conversations are taking place because it's really important that we make sure that we're in a safe space.' She confirmed she had personally thought about leaving the site in recent months.
The incident places significant pressure on X to implement more robust safeguards for its AI tools, as UK political leaders demand concrete action to prevent the proliferation of harmful AI-generated content.
