EU probes Musk’s X over sexualized images

The platform’s Grok chatbot has drawn scrutiny after reports it produced erotic deepfakes, including images of minors

The European Commission has opened an investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X amid reports that its AI chatbot Grok produced sexualized images, including some depicting minors.

Grok, developed by Musk’s AI venture xAI and integrated into X, has come under global scrutiny since its launch in 2023. Critics have raised concerns over extremist rhetoric, political bias, and sexually explicit features, warning that poorly moderated AI tools can expose users, particularly teenagers, to harmful content.

In a statement on Monday, the European Commission said it is examining whether X has adequately addressed all systemic risks associated with its recommender systems, including the recent integration of Grok. The inquiry forms part of the EU’s broader oversight of large online platforms, and regulators said interim measures could be imposed if X does not implement meaningful changes.

“The sharing of sexualized AI-generated images, particularly involving minors, is unacceptable and raises serious risks for users,” said the commission’s executive vice president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, Henna Virkkunen.

It’s so hard to get the moderation just right