In January, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced an investigation into xAI Elon Musk’s company and their AI model, Grok, after receiving reports of the artificial intelligence program sexualizing images of women and children. 

xAI was discovered to have a large-scale production of nonconsensual intimate images, all of which were used to harass and sexualize women across social media, mainly through the social media platform X. 

Bonta spoke about news reports of the Grok platform, specifically how it had taken normal photos of women and children all over the internet and then, with AI, it placed them in specific clothing and positions, which were all promptly told by the user to make. All without the subject’s knowledge or consent. 

However, this was not an unknown subject within the AI platform, as xAI developed Grok’s image generators to include a feature called “spicy mode.” This consisted of only generating explicit content for the user, with the twisted part of the situation being that this was used as a marketing point for the company for a while. Which ultimately resulted in an increase of this specific content.   

For the younger generation, this can be frightening for many female students like Junior Cynthia Shen, who remarked on the topic by saying, “I think it’s concerning to say the least. These women have no idea that their pictures are being used for something gross. No good could ever come from a website/app like this, it will only be abused.”

Grok- generated images are a form of harassment to both women and children, whether they are movie stars, influencers, public figures, or even students. Reports have flown in with the platform described to alter the images of children and place them in the same minimal clothing and specific positions. All along with xAI producing photorealistic images of these children. 

According to an analysis cited in Bonta’s release, more than half of the 20,000 images that have been generated on the platform from Christmas to the New Year had either depicted people in minimal clothing, with several of them being children. 

Bonta said in a statement that he urges xAI to take immediate actions over the situation and ensure that it does not go any further. Along with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who endorses the investigation by writing on X that xAI created a breeding ground for predators to spread nonconsensual sexually explicit AI photos, including children, in this situation is vile, later calling on Bonta to “hold xAI accountable.” 

X had appeared to restrict the permissions on the social media app after receiving backlash from its users. However, the Grok standalone app, website, and the Grok tab on X are still keeping them available. 

This is not only seen in California, as states like Arizona have also opened investigations into the platform. Along with countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, India, France, and Brazil, all have either called for an investigation or blocked access to the platform. 

Showing how everyone takes action on keeping all women and children safe from being another pawn on the chessboard.