The European Commission has launched an investigation into Elon Musk's X over concerns its AI tool Grok was used to create sexualised images of real people.
It follows a similar announcement in January from the UK watchdog Ofcom.
Regina Doherty, a member of the European parliament representing Ireland, stated the Commission would assess whether manipulated sexually explicit images have been shown to users in the EU.
A previous statement from X's Safety account noted that the social media platform had ceased allowing Grok to digitally alter images of individuals to remove their clothing in jurisdictions where such content is prohibited.
However, campaigners and victims argue that the ability to produce sexually explicit images using this tool should have never happened in the first place, with Ofcom emphasizing its ongoing investigation.
The EU regulator warned it may impose interim measures if X fails to implement significant changes. Additionally, it is extending its investigation initiated in December 2023 concerning risks linked to X's recommendation systems.
Prior to the announcement, Elon Musk posted a picture on X that appeared to jest about the new restrictions regarding Grok.
Musk has previously criticized those scrutinizing the app's image-editing capability, especially the UK government, stating it was any excuse for censorship.
On Sunday, the Grok account on X claimed that over 5.5 billion images were generated by the tool within just 30 days.
In her statement to Reuters, Doherty expressed that there are serious questions about whether platforms like X fulfill their legal obligations to adequately assess risks and prevent illegal content from spreading.
The European Union has clear rules to protect people online, she asserted. Those rules must mean something in practice, especially when powerful technologies are deployed at scale. No company operating in the EU is above the law.
A spokesperson from Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland's media regulator, also welcomed the investigation, stating that, There is no place in our society for non-consensual intimate imagery abuse or child sexual abuse material.
This investigation comes a month after the EU fined X €120 million (£105 million) for using misleading blue tick badges, claiming they deceive users due to inadequate verification of account authenticity.
In response, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) condemned the EU's regulatory actions as attempts to attack and censor U.S. companies. Rubio remarked, The European Commission's fine isn't just an attack on X, it's an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments, with Musk reaffirming Rubio's statements by saying, absolutely.
