The California Attorney General’s office has followed up with action by issuing a cease-and-desist order to xAI. This order in particular is aimed at Grok, the chatbot created by Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup. Reports suggest a dangerous development; Grok’s capabilities—particularly its potentially discriminatory “spicy” mode—are being exploited. This form of abuse includes the generation of nonconsensual sexual imagery of women and children. The Attorney General is calling for swift relief from xAI. They’re not just looking to stop dangerous content from being produced at this point.
Grok, released initially with the ability to produce images including pornographic ones has since faced backlash both at home and abroad. Sexually explicit content The chatbot’s new “spicy” mode gives users the tools to create X-rated material. Yet, this feature has led to very troubling accusations of nonconsensual intimate imagery. The Attorney General’s office has recently doubled down on their zero tolerance policy against child sexual abuse material (CSAM). It’s encouraging to see that they are taking these reports seriously and acting on them so quickly.
In light of the public backlash over Grok, xAI has implemented some limitations on Grok’s image-editing functionalities. The California AG’s office is looking to go much further. They have given xAI five days to demonstrate that it is taking effective steps to address these issues and ensure compliance with state laws.
The impacts of Grok’s features reach far beyond the borders of California. Countries like Japan, Canada, and Britain have launched probes into the unregulated chatbot’s actions. In response to concerns about its misuse, Malaysia and Indonesia have temporarily banned access to Grok entirely. Governments around the world are trying to weather the storm of AI technology that is able to generate pornographic or otherwise inappropriate content and resulting outcry.
Beyond state actions, U.S. legislators are beginning to pay attention. We invited executives from each of the major platforms including X, Reddit, Snap, TikTok, Alphabet, and Meta. The letter calls for them to get specific about how they plan to combat sexualized deepfakes and other such content.
Elon Musk has publicly stated that he was unaware of the reports alleging that Grok was generating explicit images of minors. This assertion is made against the backdrop of growing calls on tech companies to better police their platforms and stop them from being abused.