Outrage over sexualized AI images forces EU to probe Musk’s Grok, with women and children at the center

The European Union has launched a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s Grok AI chatbot after widespread backlash over its ability to generate sexually explicit images. The move signals increased regulatory pressure on generative AI systems distributed at scale across major platforms.

The issue came to light late last year when Grok, which is integrated into X, was shown to produce digitally altered sexualized images of women and children in response to user prompts. As highlighted by CNN, the content raised immediate concerns about safety safeguards and the handling of non-consensual imagery.

European officials have since confirmed the review on a post. The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, is examining whether X complied with its legal obligations before deploying the chatbot to users across the bloc.

The probe focuses on whether X assessed risks before launch

The Commission said Monday that its investigation will center on whether X properly assessed and mitigated risks tied to Grok’s image generation features within the EU. Officials emphasized that the case is not limited to the presence of harmful material, but to whether adequate preventive measures were in place prior to launch. That question about platform responsibility comes as debates about enforcement actions following federal agents’ seizure of a reporter’s devices are on the rise.

The inquiry is being conducted under the Digital Services Act, which requires large online platforms to address illegal and harmful content and to evaluate systemic risks. Henna Virkkunen, a senior Commission official overseeing technology policy, said sexual deepfakes involving women and children represent a serious violation, adding that the investigation will determine whether X met its legal responsibilities or failed to protect users’ rights.

After the controversy escalated, X initially restricted Grok’s image generation tools to paying subscribers before later blocking the creation of images depicting real people in revealing clothing. The company has maintained that it removes high-priority violations, including child sexual abuse material and non-consensual nudity, and reports offending accounts to law enforcement, citing a January 14 statement.

EU officials acknowledged those steps but said they came after the fact, noting that the company had not sufficiently evaluated the risks ahead of deployment. There is no set timeline for the probe’s conclusion, though Commission officials have said enforcement tools, including fines, remain on the table, with the stated objective of changing platform behavior. Similar regulatory scrutiny has followed unexpected automotive issues reported after a man’s Lexus started making terrifying noises post-refueling.

X is already facing separate enforcement action under the Digital Services Act. In December, the platform was fined approximately $140 million over the design of its blue verification checkmark, a penalty officials say remains unpaid.

Regulatory scrutiny has also expanded beyond Europe. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has opened an investigation into the spread of non-consensual sexually explicit material generated using Grok, while the chatbot remains banned in Indonesia and Malaysia and is under formal review by the UK regulator Ofcom.