BRUSSELS, Belgium—The European Union has initiated a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X concerning its artificial intelligence chatbot Grok, which has demonstrated the capacity to generate sexually explicit deepfake imagery of women and minors. This regulatory action represents the latest development in a growing international backlash against the controversial AI tool.
The investigation was prompted by reports that Grok users could manipulate images through simple text commands such as ‘put her in a bikini’ or ‘remove her clothes,’ effectively enabling the creation of non-consensual sexualized content. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen issued a strong statement declaring that such ‘digital undressing’ practices would not be tolerated within EU jurisdictions.
‘We will not hand over consent and child protection to tech companies to violate and monetize. The harm caused by illegal images is very real,’ von der Leyen emphasized in her communication with AFP.
EU Technology Commissioner Henna Virkkunen clarified that the investigation will assess whether X has complied with its legal obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA), the bloc’s comprehensive legislation designed to regulate internet giants. She specifically noted that the rights of women and children should not become ‘collateral damage’ in the platform’s service offerings.
The probe will examine whether X adequately mitigated risks associated with the dissemination of illegal content, including manipulated sexually explicit imagery and potential child sexual abuse material. This regulatory move occurs despite repeated threats of retaliation from the United States, where the Trump administration has characterized such enforcement as curbing free speech and unfairly targeting American companies.
The investigation follows Grok’s earlier announcement restricting image generation capabilities to paying subscribers, a measure that failed to prevent regulatory scrutiny. According to research published by the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate, Grok generated approximately three million sexualized images of women and children within days of its release.
The EU is simultaneously expanding an existing investigation into X’s content moderation practices, particularly concerning the platform’s recent integration of Grok into its recommendation algorithm. Brussels had previously imposed a €120 million fine on X in December 2023 for violating DSA transparency obligations, including deceptive design practices surrounding account verification systems.
EU Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier asserted that enforcement would continue ‘firmly, fairly, objectively’ without targeting companies based on their national origin, amid ongoing transatlantic tensions regarding technology regulation.