UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said that Elon Musk’s social media platform X is taking steps to comply with UK law following serious concerns over sexualised deepfake images created by its AI chatbot, Grok.
The comments came after widespread anger over explicit images that were generated using Grok and then shared across X. The issue triggered a formal investigation by media regulator Ofcom and prompted the government to confirm it would enforce laws that criminalise non consensual deepfake content.
No Direct Contact With X, Government Confirms
Although Sir Keir told Parliament that X was acting to meet legal requirements, his official spokesperson later clarified that there had been no direct contact between the prime minister and the company.
Instead, Sir Keir was responding to media reports suggesting that X had begun limiting Grok’s ability to generate sexualised images, particularly those involving women and girls.
According to a report by The Telegraph, Grok has stopped responding to prompts that ask for explicit images. X has not confirmed this change and did not respond to a request for comment from the BBC.
Ofcom Investigation Underway
Earlier this week, Ofcom announced it had opened a formal investigation into X after what it described as deeply concerning reports.
If Ofcom finds that X has broken UK law, it has the power to fine the platform up to 10 percent of its global revenue or £18 million, whichever is higher. In extreme cases, it can also seek a court order to block access to X in the UK.
Government Stance Remains Firm
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir described the content generated by Grok as disgusting and made clear that the government would not hesitate to act if X failed to comply.
He said that any steps taken by X were welcome, but warned that the government would strengthen existing laws and introduce new legislation if necessary. He also confirmed that Ofcom has full government backing to continue its investigation independently.
Later, the prime minister’s spokesperson said the government’s response was a qualified welcome, stressing that action must be real and sustained.
Musk Responds to Allegations
In a post on X, Elon Musk said he was not aware of Grok generating any naked images of underage children. He added that Grok is designed to refuse requests that break the law and follows the legal rules of each country where it operates.
X has previously pointed to a statement from its Safety account stating that users who prompt Grok to create illegal content will face the same consequences as those who upload illegal material directly.
