The European data privacy regulator has initiated an inquiry into Elon Musk’s X over sexually explicit imagery generated by the social network’s AI chatbot, Grok.
This action escalates the regulatory scrutiny already directed at X, which is concurrently being investigated in France and the UK following a global outcry last month over thousands of sexually explicit deepfake visuals—predominantly featuring women, but also children—created using Grok.
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), the primary enforcer of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), confirmed on Tuesday that it has opened a “scoping” investigation into X concerning these images.
Specifically, the commission intends to determine whether X adhered to the EU’s principal data protection mandates in how it managed the personal data of people within the bloc.
“The DPC has been engaging with X since media reports first surfaced several weeks ago regarding the alleged capability for users of X to prompt the @Grok account on X to generate sexually explicit imagery of real people, including children,” stated Deputy Commissioner, Graham Doyle.
The commission’s probe will “examine X’s compliance with certain core GDPR obligations regarding the issues in question,” he added. CNN has reached out to X for comment.
Grok, developed by Musk’s AI startup xAI (which acquired X last year), is integrated directly into X’s social media feeds.
Under pressure from governments, including threats of bans and penalties, X last month restricted Grok’s ability to create certain explicit visuals. Despite this, the company is facing multiple ongoing investigations across Europe.
The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office announced formal investigations into both X and xAI earlier this month, “covering their processing of personal data in connection with the Grok AI system and its potential to create harmful sexually explicit imagery and video content.”
Meanwhile, in early February, police executed searches at X’s offices in Paris as part of a widening investigation into the company and Grok. Musk himself was summoned for questioning.
In response, X’s global government relations team disputed any wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations forming the basis of the raid were “unfounded.”
The European Union is also examining X regarding the explicit imagery, scrutinizing whether “the platform appropriately assessed and mitigated the risks associated with deploying Grok functionalities within the EU.”
The controversies surrounding Grok have reignited criticism aimed at artificial intelligence and social media platforms concerning potential harm to young people.
On Monday, the UK revealed plans that would mandate AI chatbots, including Grok, ChatGPT, and Google’s Gemini, to comply with strict legislation designed to shield users from illegal content.
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