Britain's information regulator has launched an investigation into Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok amid allegations it created sexualised images of children.
The artificial intelligence product, which is available as both a standalone website and app as well as an integration into social network X, caused a digital firestorm after users began asking it to undress images of real women without consent.
Online watchdog the Internet Watch Foundation says that as well as changing adult women into bikinis or states of implied nudity, the Elon Musk-backed AI bot was also creating inappropriate sexualised images of children.
Today, the Information Commissioner's Office launched an investigation into Grok's use of people's personal information in relation to its 'potential to produce harmful sexualised image and video content'.
It comes as internet regulator Ofcom continues to assess whether X has breached the Online Safety Act by allowing deepfake images to be shared on its site.
Last month, the Act was updated to make creating, or requesting the creation of, non-consensual sexualised deepfakes a criminal offence.
X's French offices have also been raided by prosecutors today as they carry out their own probe into whether Grok was responsible for spreading child pornography and deepfakes.
The ICO said that the reported creation and circulation of non-consensual images of adults and children raised 'serious concerns under UK data protection law and presents a risk of significant potential harm to the public'.
Pressure is growing on Elon Musk to curb AI chatbot Grok amid reports that it has been used to generate sexualised deepfakes of women and children.
It says it will investigate whether safeguards were built into Grok's design to prevent it from being used for abuse. The investigation will look at both X.AI LLC - the parent firm of X - and its Ireland subsidiary X Internet Unlimited Company.
William Malcolm, of the ICO, said reports of Grok's ability to create sexualised images were 'deeply troubling' and that they posed a risk of 'immediate and significant harm... particularly the case where children are involved'.
He added: 'Our investigation will assess whether XIUC and X.AI have complied with data protection law in the development and deployment of the Grok services, including the safeguards in place to protect people's data rights. Where we find obligations have not been met, we will take action to protect the public.'
The ICO's investigation will focus on whether people's personal data has been processed lawfully. Photographs are considered personal data and require consent to be processed under UK GDPR law.
This is a developing story - more to follow.