The platform’s Grok chatbot has drawn scrutiny after reports it produced erotic deepfakes, including images of minors
The European Commission has opened an investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X amid reports that its AI chatbot Grok produced sexualized images, including some depicting minors.
Grok, developed by Musk’s AI venture xAI and integrated into X, has come under global scrutiny since its launch in 2023. Critics have raised concerns over extremist rhetoric, political bias, and sexually explicit features, warning that poorly moderated AI tools can expose users, particularly teenagers, to harmful content.
In a statement on Monday, the European Commission said it is examining whether X has adequately addressed all systemic risks associated with its recommender systems, including the recent integration of Grok. The inquiry forms part of the EU’s broader oversight of large online platforms, and regulators said interim measures could be imposed if X does not implement meaningful changes.
“The sharing of sexualized AI-generated images, particularly involving minors, is unacceptable and raises serious risks for users,” said the commission’s executive vice president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, Henna Virkkunen.
The inquiry follows previous enforcement actions by the commission, including a €150 million ($178 million) fine on X in December for breaching transparency obligations under its Digital Services Act.
In response to the investigation, X shared a statement published on 14 January, saying it is committed to keeping the platform “safe” and maintains “zero tolerance” for child sexual exploitation, non-consensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content. Separately, Musk posted a picture on X appearing to mock the restrictions around Grok.
The EU’s probe comes after US officials previously warned that a crackdown on Big Tech could trigger a response from Washington, including the possible use of tariffs.
Researchers at the Center for Countering Digital Hate said Grok produced nearly 3 million sexualized images in less than two weeks, around 23,000 of which appeared to depict children.
Earlier this month, UK media regulator Ofcom launched its own investigation into whether X is meeting its obligations to protect users online.
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