6 h. ago ‘Still here!’: X’s Grok AI tool accessible in Malaysia despite ban

Experts warn use of VPNs makes it hard to limit access to technology that can create nonconsensual explicit imagesDays after Malaysia made global headlines by announcing it would temporarily ban Grok over its ability to generate “grossly offensive and nonconsensual manipulated images”, the generative AI tool was conversing breezily with accounts registered in the country.“Still here! That DNS block in Malaysia is pretty lightweight – easy to bypass with a VPN or DNS tweak,” Grok’s account on X said in response to a question from a user. Continue reading...

Politics

6 h. ago ‘Still here!’: X’s Grok AI tool accessible in Malaysia and Indonesia despite ban

Experts warn use of VPNs makes it hard to limit access to technology that can create nonconsensual explicit imagesDays after Malaysia made global headlines by announcing it would temporarily ban Grok over its ability to generate “grossly offensive and nonconsensual manipulated images”, the generative AI tool was conversing breezily with accounts registered in the country.“Still here! That DNS block in Malaysia is pretty lightweight – easy to bypass with a VPN or DNS tweak,” Grok’s account on X said in response to a question from a user. Continue reading...

Politics

56 h. ago X still allowing users to post sexualised images generated by Grok AI tool

Despite restrictions announced this week, Guardian reporters find standalone app continues to allow posting of nonconsensual contentX has continued to allow users to post highly sexualised videos of women in bikinis generated by its AI tool Grok, despite the company’s claim to have cracked down on misuse.The Guardian was able to create short videos of people stripping to bikinis from photographs of fully clothed, real women. It was also possible to post this adult content on to X’s public platform without any sign of it being moderated, meaning the clip could be viewed within seconds by anyone with an account. Continue reading...

Politics

2 d. ago Grok AI: what do limits on tool mean for X, its users and UK media watchdog?

UK users will no longer be able to create sexualised images of real people using @Grok X account, with Grok app also expected to be restrictedElon Musk’s X has announced it will stop the Grok AI tool from allowing users to manipulate images of people to show them in revealing clothing such as bikinis.The furore over Grok, which is integrated with the X platform, has sparked a public and political backlash as well as a formal investigation by Ofcom, the UK’s communications watchdog. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Grok scandal highlights how AI industry is ‘too unconstrained’, tech pioneer says

‘Godfather of AI’ Yoshua Bengio says firms building powerful systems without appropriate guardrails • Musk’s X to block Grok AI from creating sexualised images of real people The scandal over the flood of intimate images on Elon Musk’s X created non-consensually by its Grok AI tool has underlined how the artificial intelligence industry is “too unconstrained”, according to a pioneer of the technology.Yoshua Bengio, a computer scientist described as one of the modern “godfathers of AI”, said tech companies were building systems without appropriate technical and societal guardrails. Continue reading...

Science

3 d. ago Musk’s X to block Grok AI tool from creating sexualised images of real people

UK government claims vindication after Keir Starmer criticised earlier decision to keep functionality as ‘horrific’The UK government has claimed “vindication” after Elon Musk’s X announced it had stopped its AI-powered Grok feature from editing pictures of real people to show them in revealing clothes such as bikinis, including for premium subscribers.After a fortnight of public outcry at the tool embedded into X being used to create sexualised images of women and children, the company said it would “geoblock” the ability of users “to generate images of real people in bikinis, underwear, and similar attire via the Grok account and in Grok in X”, in countries where it was illegal. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Elon Musk's X stops its AI tool Grok from undressing pictures of real people after huge backlash over sexualised deepfakes

Elon Musk's X says AI tool Grok will no longer undress pictures of real people after a furious backlash against its creation of sexualised deepfakes.

Politics

3 d. ago Elon Musk’s X bans Grok AI tool from creating images of real people undressed

X announced the policy update the same day the state of California launched probe into allegations of nonconsensual AI-generated explicit images on the platform

Politics

3 d. ago Musk’s X to block Grok AI tool from creating sexualized images of real people

Amid global backlash, billionaire had only hours earlier said he was not aware of any ‘naked underage images’Elon Musk’s xAI has announced it will block the ability of its Grok AI tool to alter images of real people to put them in “revealing clothing such as bikinis”, amid a global backlash over the tool being used to generate explicit imagery.The move came just hours after the billionaire said he was was not aware of any “naked underage images” made by Grok. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago California attorney general investigates Musk’s Grok AI over lewd fake images

AI tool made by Elon Musk’s xAI makes it easy to harass women with deepfake images, says state’s top attorneyCalifornia authorities have announced an investigation into the output of Elon Musk’s Grok.The state’s top attorney said Grok, an AI tool and image generator made by Musk’s company xAI, appears to be making it easy to harass women and girls with deepfake images on X and elsewhere online. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago X ‘acting to comply with UK law’ after outcry over sexualised images

New polling suggests 58% of Britons think X should be banned in the UK if the social network fails to crack down on nonconsensual imagesElon Musk’s X is understood to have told the government it is acting to comply with UK law, after nearly a fortnight of public outcry at the use of its AI tool Grok to manipulate images of women and children by removing their clothes.Keir Starmer told the House of Commons on Wednesday that photographs generated by Grok had been “disgusting” and “shameful”, but said he had been informed “X is acting to ensure full compliance with UK law”. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Musk claims he was unaware of Grok generating explicit images of minors

AI tool faces growing global scrutiny over the spread of nonconsensual sexual images of women and minors on XElon Musk said on Wednesday he was not aware of any “naked underage images” generated by xAI’s Grok, as scrutiny of the AI tool intensifies worldwide.“I not aware of any naked underage images generated by Grok. Literally zero,” Musk said in an X post. Musk’s comment comes as xAI and X face growing global scrutiny, including calls by lawmakers and advocacy groups for Apple and Google to drop Grok from app stores, an investigation by UK regulators, and bans or legal action in countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago Young people, parents and teachers: share your views about Grok AI

We’d like to hear from young people, parents and teachers about how Elon Musk’s controversial chatbot is affecting youDegrading images of real women and children with their clothes digitally removed by Elon Musk’s Grok tool continue to be shared online, despite widespread alarm and a pledge by the platform to suspend users who generate them.While some safeguards have been introduced, the ease with which the AI tool can be abused has raised urgent questions about consent, online safety and the ability of governments worldwide to regulate fast-moving AI technologies. Meanwhile, the misuse of AI to harass, humiliate and sexually exploit people – particularly women and girls – is rapidly escalating. Continue reading...

Society

4 d. ago Musk v Starmer: will UK ban X over Grok nudification? | The Latest

The UK government is threatening Elon Musk’s X with a ban. The social media platform is under pressure from ministers over the use of the Grok AI tool to manipulate images of women and children to remove their clothes. Ofcom, the UK’s media regulator, has launched an investigation into X – and the government says it will support a ban if Ofcom decides to press ahead. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Musk’s AI tool Grok will be integrated into Pentagon networks, Hegseth says

Defense secretary says AI tool will join military systems later this month as it comes under fire for sexual imageryPete Hegseth announced on Monday that the US military will begin integrating Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence tool, Grok, into Pentagon networks.Speaking at the SpaceX headquarters in Texas on Monday evening, the US defense secretary said that the integration of Grok into military systems would go live later this month. “Very soon we will have the world’s leading AI models on every unclassified and classified network throughout our department,” Hegseth said. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Labour’s first ‘Twitter tsar’ says ministers should get off ‘cesspit’ X immediately

Kerry McCarthy said X had ‘gone too far’ after its AI tool Grok was found to have been used to ‘undress’ images of people without consent and sexualise women and children

Politics

5 d. ago Can X be banned under UK law and what are the other options?

UK media regulator is investigating whether X has breached the Online Safety Act – what could happen next?The UK government is threatening Elon Musk’s X with the nuclear option under the country’s online safety laws: a ban. The social media platform is under pressure from ministers after it allowed the Grok AI tool, which is integrated within the app, to generate indecent images of unsuspecting women and children.The government has said it will support the media regulator Ofcom, which has launched an investigation into X, if it decides to push ahead with a ban. But is such a move likely? Continue reading...

Events

6 d. ago Malaysia blocks Elon Musk’s Grok AI over fake, sexualised images

Country follows Indonesia in restricting access after global outcry over X’s AI toolMalaysia has become the second country to temporarily block access to Elon Musk’s Grok AI tool after a global outcry over the AI tool and its ability to produce fake, sexualised images.Malaysia said it would restrict access to Grok until effective safeguards were implemented, a day after similar action was taken by Indonesia. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Indonesia and Malaysia block Musk’s Grok over sexualised images

Officials say ban is to ‘protect women, children and the broader public’ from the mass production of AI-generated pornographic content

Politics

6 d. ago UK threatens action against X over sexualised AI images of women and children

Government signals support for possible Ofcom intervention on Grok as scrutiny of X’s AI tool intensifiesBusiness live – latest updatesElon Musk’s X “is not doing enough to keep its customers safe online”, a minister has said, as the UK government prepares to outline possible action against the platform over the mass production of sexualised images of woman and children.Peter Kyle, the business secretary, said the government would fully support any action taken by Ofcom, the media regulator, against X – including the possibility that the platform could be blocked in the UK. Continue reading...

Events