No. 10 has rejected the response from Elon Musk’s company, X, regarding the scandal involving sexual images, deeming it disrespectful to victims of misogyny and sexual violence.
The tech billionaire’s social media platform has declared that its AI chatbot, Grok, will now offer the creation of deepfakes as a premium service. However, the government has criticized this move as inadequate and urged X to take further action, cautioning Musk that all options are being considered to address the disturbing abuse.
Although there have been calls to cease using the platform, No.10 has not committed to doing so yet. Grok has faced backlash for enabling users to produce fake nude images of individuals, including minors, without consent.
A spokesperson for Keir Starmer expressed discontent, stating that turning an AI feature allowing the production of unlawful images into a premium service is not a solution and is disrespectful to victims of misogyny and sexual violence. The spokesperson emphasized the need for immediate action from X, echoing the Prime Minister’s stance on the matter.
The Labour Party is contemplating discontinuing its use of X following strong condemnation from the Prime Minister. Party chairwoman Anna Turley mentioned ongoing discussions, emphasizing the importance of ensuring a safe environment and insisting that X must address the issue promptly.
The government, in collaboration with regulator Ofcom, is actively addressing the misuse of AI technology to combat the creation of offensive and unlawful content on Grok.
Following concerns that Grok had facilitated the creation of sexualized images of children on the platform, Ofcom has initiated discussions with Musk’s X and xAI. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has urged Musk’s social media firm to address the issue urgently and has pledged full support for any enforcement actions necessary against X or xAI.
Kendall emphasized the UK’s stance against the proliferation of harmful online content, underscoring the need for collective efforts to eradicate such material.
Concerns have arisen that users of X prompted Grok to generate images of children in suggestive attire. Grok’s X account acknowledged lapses in safeguards and vowed to rectify them promptly to comply with regulations and ensure a safer online environment.