The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has opened formal investigations into X Internet Unlimited Company (XIUC) and X.AI LLC (X.AI) covering their processing of personal data in relation to the Grok artificial intelligence system and its potential to produce harmful sexualised image and video content.
We have taken this step following reports that Grok has been used to generate non‑consensual sexual imagery of individuals, including children. The reported creation and circulation of such content raises serious concerns under UK data protection law and presents a risk of significant potential harm to the public.
These concerns relate to whether personal data has been processed lawfully, fairly and transparently, and whether appropriate safeguards were built into Grok’s design and deployment to prevent the generation of harmful manipulated images using personal data. Where those safeguards fail, individuals lose control of their personal data in ways that expose them to serious harm. Examining these risks is central to the ICO’s role in protecting people’s rights and holding organisations to account as they design and deploy AI technology.
This follows separate investigations from the EU and UK over X deepfakes
Elon Musk’s X platform (previously known as Twitter) and its Grok AI bot are facing fresh scrutiny over non-consensual and sexualized deepfake content, with Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) announcing an inquiry.
As per MarketWatch, the watchdog is investigating whether X has complied with the strict General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules in the EU, which the Irish regulator is in charge of enforcing on behalf of the 27-nation bloc.
In recent weeks, there has been a storm of criticism leveled at X in response to Grok being used to create and post millions of sexualized and revealing images – often based on real photos (some of whom appear to be minors), and used without consent.
Retired, living in the Scottish Borders after living most of my life in cities in England. I can now indulge my interest in all aspects of living close to nature in a wild landscape. I live on what was once the Iapetus Ocean which took millions of years to travel from the Southern Hemisphere to here in the Northern Hemisphere. That set me thinking and questioning and seeking answers.
In 1998 I co-wrote Millennium Countdown (US)/ A Business Guide to the Year 2000 (UK) see https://www.abebooks.co.uk/products/isbn/9780749427917
borderslynn 