AI chatbot Grok is at the center of a legal battle for its creation of inappropriate sexual content, as per court documents filed against a technology company owned by Elon Musk. Labour MP Jess Asato is taking legal action against the platform behind Grok, alleging that the chatbot produced fake images of her in a bikini and a disturbing AI video suggesting her involvement in a sexual assault. The lawsuit claims that the company violated data protection laws and misused private information by allowing Grok to utilize her likeness and fabricate false visuals.
According to legal filings, Grok was directed to function without constraints on adult or offensive sexual content, to presume positive intentions, and to allow the creation of fictional adult content with dark or violent themes. The lawsuit also contends that the chatbot included explicit material without user requests.
Ms. Asato’s legal representatives argue that the company responsible for Grok should be held liable for the design and training decisions that facilitated the misconduct. If successful, this case could establish a precedent for accountability in AI system design.
Following Ms. Asato’s criticism of Grok amidst a surge in unauthorized sexualized deepfake images on Mr. Musk’s platform, she became a target of offensive posts, including explicit content. The MP expressed feeling demeaned and targeted, emphasizing the need for regulations to prevent harm caused by such technologies.
Ravi Naik, Legal Director at AWO representing Ms. Asato, emphasized that deepfake abuse is a result of deliberate design choices by xAI, the company behind Grok. He stressed the importance of holding accountable those responsible for the harmful consequences of AI technologies.
TV personality Narinder Kaur, a victim of AI-generated deepfake abuse, echoed concerns about the weaponization of AI technology for humiliation and suppression. She called for tech companies to take responsibility for the design and training of their products to prevent misuse.
Government intervention led by Keir Starmer earlier this year addressed the global outrage over Grok, condemning the actions of the technology company and implementing laws against non-consensual intimate imagery. xAI, responding to the controversy, announced restrictions on the creation of inappropriate content using Grok.
Efforts to reach xAI for comment were unsuccessful.