Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok has restricted its image generation capabilities following widespread criticism over the creation of sexualized images depicting real individuals, according to The New York Times.
Late Thursday, Grok limited requests for AI-generated images on X (formerly Twitter) to paid subscribers of the social media platform. The move came amid mounting concerns from victims and regulatory pressure, The New York Times reports.
The restrictions represent a response to what the publication characterizes as “an outcry from victims and regulators” regarding the chatbot’s ability to generate inappropriate imagery of actual people. The article indicates that the controversy centered specifically on sexualized content rather than general image generation issues.
Grok, which is integrated into Musk’s X platform, previously appeared to have fewer content restrictions compared to other major AI image generators. The decision to limit access to paying subscribers rather than completely removing the feature or implementing stricter content filters suggests a middle-ground approach to addressing the concerns while maintaining the service for some users.
The incident adds to ongoing debates about AI safety guardrails and the potential for generative AI tools to be misused for creating harmful content involving real individuals.