British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned Monday that the UK government will take control of Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot if X fails to stop users from creating sexualized images of women and children through the artificial intelligence tool.
“If X cannot control Grok, we will — and we’ll do it fast because if you profit from harm and abuse, you lose the right to self regulate,” Starmer told Labour MPs at a Parliamentary Labour Party meeting.
UK media regulator Ofcom launched a formal investigation Monday into whether X violated the country’s Online Safety Act. The probe follows reports that Grok’s AI tool created and shared sexualized images of people without consent, including minors.
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Ofcom said in a statement that the chatbot has been used to create “undressed images of people — which may amount to intimate image abuse or pornography — and sexualized images of children that may amount to child sexual abuse material.”
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced Monday that creating non-consensual intimate images will become a criminal offense this week under the Data (Use and Access) Act passed last year.
X restricted Grok’s image generation tool to paying subscribers after global criticism, requiring credit card information and personal details. However, reports indicate some users can still generate sexualized images through alternative methods.
Downing Street said all options remain on the table, including a potential ban on X in Britain.
Musk responded by accusing the UK government of being “fascist” and seeking “any excuse for censorship.”
The controversy extends beyond Britain. India forced X to remove thousands of posts and deactivate more than 600 accounts last week. Malaysia and Indonesia have temporarily banned Grok.
If found in violation, X could face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of its global revenue. In severe cases, courts could order British internet providers to block the platform entirely.
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