Elon Musk’s Grok appears to modify image generation after outcry
By Hadas Gold, CNN
(CNN) — Elon Musk’s Grok artificial intelligence chatbot appears to have new guardrails around image generation, following global outrage after it was found to be complying with user requests to digitally undress images of adults and in some cases children.
Within the last week xAi, which owns both Grok and the social media platform X, restricted image generation for Grok on X to paying X premium subscribers. But according to researchers and CNN’s own observations in recent days, Grok’s X account has modified how it responds in general to user’s image generation requests, even for those subscribed to X premium.
According to researchers at Copyleaks, an AI detection and content governance platform, Grok is no longer responding as often to image requests even from premium users, sometimes describing a scenario rather than creating an image or sometimes fulfilling a request in “a more generic or toned-down way, rather than using the specific subject originally requested,” the group found.
“Overall, these behaviors suggest X is experimenting with multiple mechanisms to reduce or control problematic image generation, though inconsistencies remain,” Copyleaks found.
Researchers at AI Forensics, a European non-profit that investigates algorithms, said that the creation of bikini-like images has seemingly decreased at X, according to a spokesperson for the group.
But the group said they have also observed “inconsistencies in the treatment of pornographic content generation” between public interactions with Grok on X and private chat on Grok.com.
xAI, which did not respond to a request for comment, has previously stated via the company’s Safety account that they “take action against illegal content on X, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary. Anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content.”
On Wednesday Musk said in a post on X that he was “not aware of any naked underage images generated by Grok. Literally zero.” Grok “will refuse to produce anything illegal, as the operating principle for Grok is to obey the laws of any given country or state,” he added.
However, researchers said that while fully nude images were rare, the biggest issue was Grok complying with user requests to modify images of minors and place them revealing clothing, including bikinis and underwear, as well as in sexually provocative positions. Creators of those types of non-consensual intimate images could still be subject to criminal prosecution of Child Sexual Abuse Material and are potentially subject to fines and prison time under the Take it Down Act, signed last year by President Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced an investigation into the “proliferation of nonconsensual sexually explicit material produced using Grok.”
Grok is still banned in Indonesia and Malaysia as a result of the image generation controversy. UK regulator Ofcom announced Monday it has launched a formal investigation of X, although Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said Wednesday he welcomes reports X is addressing the issue.
The-CNN-Wire
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