UK regulator Ofcom has opened an investigation into Elon Musk’s X over claims its Grok AI tool was used to create and spread non-consensual and sexualised deepfake images, raising the prospect of heavy fines or even a UK ban if safety laws were breached.
UK media regulator Ofcom has launched a formal investigation into X after its AI chatbot Grok was found to be used to generate sexualised deepfake images, including non-consensual material and imagery involving children.
The probe follows what Ofcom described as “deeply concerning reports” that Grok’s image-editing tools were being used to undress people without consent and create explicit content that was then shared on X.
It has been reported multiple examples of such images have been circulating on the platform, with one woman saying more than 100 altered images of her had been created.
If Ofcom concludes that X has breached the UK’s Online Safety Act, the regulator has the power to fine the company up to £18 million or 10 per cent of its global revenue, whichever is higher.
In extreme cases, it could also seek a court order requiring internet service providers to block access to X in the UK.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall welcomed the investigation, urging Ofcom to act quickly.
She said: “The public – and most importantly the victims – will not accept any delay.”
Former technology secretary Peter Kyle was even more blunt, calling it “appalling” that Grok appeared to have been deployed without sufficient safeguards, citing a case in which an AI-generated image placed a woman in a sexualised scenario at Auschwitz.
Ofcom will now examine whether X failed to remove illegal content promptly once it became aware of it, and whether the platform took “appropriate steps” to prevent UK users from accessing such material.
The regulator confirmed that non-consensual intimate images and child sexual imagery fall squarely within the scope of illegal content it is required to police.
The investigation adds to mounting international pressure on Elon Musk’s platform.
Over the weekend, Malaysia and Indonesia temporarily blocked access to Grok’s image tools amid similar concerns.
Musk has previously accused the UK government of seeking “any excuse for censorship”, but Ofcom said the case would be treated as a “matter of the highest priority”.
Elon’s Musk’s X AI Grok investigated by UK watchdog Ofcom following explicit deepfake scandal
