The UK’s Ofcom has launched an expedited probe into Grok AI, with powers to fine X heavily or effectively block the platform under the Online Safety Act.
Musk has accused the Keir Starmer-led government of censorship, claiming X is being unfairly targeted while similar AI tools escape scrutiny.
X has made limited changes to Grok’s image tools, but UK ministers say the steps fall short, keeping the possibility of a ban firmly on the table.
Elon Musk’s X and Grok AI have been in the headlines for their controversial image generation capabilities. The chatbot has been facing criticism for making sexually explicit photos. Now, several countries, including the UK, Canada, and Australia, are considering a coordinated ban on X due to concerns over misuse.
SurveyOn the other hand, Musk has escalated the matter with the UK government, accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration of “fascism” as regulators move closer to potential action against social media platform X over its AI image-generation tools.
Why X could face a ban in UK?
The latest flashpoint came as a result of criticism directed at Grok, Musk’s xAI AI chatbot, for generating sexually explicit and manipulated images, including content involving minors. Responding to a social media post about the UK’s high number of arrests for online speech, Musk questioned the government’s approach, claiming that authorities were using regulation as a pretext for censorship.
In a separate post, Musk claimed that critics were unfairly targeting X while ignoring similar behaviour by other AI systems, framing the backlash as an attempt to justify tighter controls on online platforms.
Also Read: Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal breaks silence on Temple wearable device after podcast buzz: What he said
However, British ministers have taken a firm stance. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall condemned the creation and manipulation of sexualised images, particularly those involving women and children, and warned that X could face serious consequences if it fails to comply with British law. She also stated that the government would support Ofcom if it decided to take enforcement action, including measures that could effectively block access to the platform in the UK.
What now?
Ofcom has confirmed that it is conducting an expedited assessment after contacting X and xAI regarding Grok’s image-generation capabilities. The Online Safety Act gives the regulator the authority to levy fines of up to £18 million, or 10 pct of a company’s global turnover. In extreme cases, it may seek court approval to halt a platform’s operations by denying access to payment services, advertisers, or internet providers.
Musk responded defiantly by resharing a post from a US lawmaker warning of possible retaliatory measures against the UK if X is blocked, pointing out the international nature of the dispute.
What measures X is taking
In recent days, X appears to have quietly changed Grok’s settings to restrict image manipulation requests to paid users. However, reports indicate that these restrictions may not apply to all versions of the tool, with alternative routes for generating or editing images remaining accessible.
Kendall stated that such partial changes were insufficient, emphasising that allowing paid access to contentious features remained “totally unacceptable”. She also stated that Ofcom is expected to outline its next steps in days, not weeks.
In the meantime, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also supported the UK on the issue and condemned the use of gen AI to exploit or sexualise individuals without their consent. However, it remains to be seen what will happen.
Follow Us
Ashish Singh
Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. He's been wrangling tech jargon since 2020 (Times Internet, Jagran English '22). When not policing commas, he's likely fueling his gadget habit with coffee, strategising his next virtual race, or plotting a road trip to test the latest in-car tech. He speaks fluent Geek. View Full Profile
