On January 14, 2026, Elon Musk's platform X announced new measures to stop its AI chatbot Grok from undressing images of real people, following a global backlash over sexualized photo generation.
The decision comes after the California attorney general launched an investigation into xAI, Grok's developer, and several jurisdictions either blocked the chatbot or opened their own probes.
Here's what's changing:
- Geoblocking: X will block all Grok and X users in areas where creating images of people in "bikinis, underwear and similar attire" is illegal.
- Tech safeguards: The safety team says it has implemented technology to prevent Grok from editing photos of real people in revealing clothing. 🚫🤖
- Paywall access: Image creation and editing via Grok is now limited to paid subscribers, adding an extra layer of protection.
In Brussels, the European Commission noted these additional steps to ban Grok from generating sexualized images of women and children. "We will carefully assess these changes to make sure they effectively protect citizens in the EU," said spokesperson Thomas Regnier.
With this update, X aims to balance AI innovation with user safety, proving that even cutting-edge tech needs clear guardrails to protect people online. 🌐🔒
Reference(s):
Musk's Grok barred from undressing images after global backlash
cgtn.com
