Australia’s prime minister has condemned the use of X’s AI chatbot, Grok, to generate sexualized images of women and children as “abhorrent,” but politicians continue to use the platform despite the concerns.
Grok Image Generation Under Scrutiny
Anthony Albanese stated on Saturday that Australians deserved better and that the online safety regulator would investigate the use of generative AI to exploit or sexualize individuals without their consent. Grok was disabled for image generation for non-paying users last week after research revealed it had been used to create pornographic videos of women without their consent, as well as images depicting violence.
Despite Albanese’s condemnation, his X account posted a video from the same press conference on X. Users responding to the post attempted to prompt Grok to create an image of the prime minister in a bikini.
Searching on X quickly reveals images of Australian politicians, including the prime minister, created using Grok, such as depictions of them in bikinis or burkinis.
Investigations Underway
Regulators across the world, including in Australia, are now investigating Grok, with fines and the potential blocking of Grok or X being considered. Some countries have reportedly already blocked access to the chatbot. Australia’s eSafety commissioner has sent a “please explain” letter to X, which could ultimately lead to fines sought from the federal court, though past challenges from X to eSafety’s regulatory action could prolong the process for years.
The eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, quietly ceased posting on X in August, following legal battles with the platform and becoming a target of Musk and his supporters.
Apple and Google have yet to comment on why X remains in their app stores despite hosting the concerning content. This contrasts with 2018, when Apple forced Tumblr to remove all consenting adult content to remain on the app store.
The indifference to X is not limited to politicians. A report finding high levels of antisemitic posts on X has led to calls for the antisemitism royal commission to examine the role of social media platforms.
While X posted at the time of a recent report that it was “dedicated to fighting abuse driven by hate, bias, or intolerance,” it remains unclear what action the platform will take. If eSafety’s investigation results in penalties, the regulator could potentially order app stores to remove X for hosting illegal content.
Currently, the response to Grok in Australia appears limited to verbal condemnation.
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