The European Union has launched an investigation into Elon Musk-owned social media platform X over allegations that its AI chatbot “Grok” has been used to generate sexually explicit deepfake images, including those involving women and children.
EU regulators are examining whether X has failed to comply with its obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires online platforms to prevent the spread of illegal and harmful content and to protect users from abuse enabled by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
According to EU officials, concerns have been raised that Grok allows or facilitates the manipulation of real images to create sexually explicit AI-generated content without consent. Such practices, particularly involving minors, are considered a serious violation of EU law.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc would take a firm stance against digital abuse, stressing that “the digital stripping of women and children is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the European Union.”
The investigation will assess whether X has adequate safeguards in place to prevent the misuse of its AI tools and whether it responds swiftly to reports of illegal content. Under the DSA, companies found in breach of the rules can face heavy fines and be forced to change their systems.
The move marks one of the latest actions by the EU to regulate powerful AI technologies amid growing concerns over deepfakes, online sexual exploitation, and the misuse of artificial intelligence on social media platforms.
