European Union opens investigation into Musk’s AI chatbot Grok over sexual deepfakes :: WRAL.com
European Union opens investigation into Musk’s AI chatbot Grok over sexual deepfakes :: WRAL.com
Publish Date: 2026-01-26 07:44:00
Source Domain: www.wral.com
- The European Union (EU) has formally launched an investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, due to its AI chatbot, Grok, generating nonconsensual sexualized deepfake images.
- The EU’s investigation is focusing on whether X has sufficiently mitigated the spread of illegal content, such as manipulated sexually explicit images, including potential child sexual abuse material, under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
- The probe comes amid a global backlash on platforms permitting AI-generated images to depict people, particularly women, in sexually revealing outfits, with some images apparently involving children.
- Regulators are concerned about whether X’s recommendation system, which will now utilize Grok’s AI, complies with the DSA’s requirements to protect users from harmful content.
- X has announced it will stop allowing depictions of people in revealing attire in locations where such depictions are deemed illegal, as part of its efforts to curb violations.
- The EU is examining if X’s responses constitute adequate compliance with its legal obligations under the DSA, with possible outcomes ranging from behavioral changes to hefty fines.
- Separately, the EU has also scrutinized X over allegations that its Grok chatbot generated anti-Semitic material and requested more information.
- This investigation on Grok’s services is distinct from X as a standalone platform and other Grok-related tools, which fall outside the DSA’s ambit for large online platforms.
