LONDON, June 3 (Reuters) - British lawmaker Jess Asato has initiated legal action against Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI, claiming that its Grok AI platform was used to create fake sexualized images of her. The lawsuit, announced on Wednesday, highlights growing concerns over the misuse of AI-generated content.
Grok, which is distributed through Musk's social media platform X, is currently under regulatory scrutiny in multiple countries following an outcry earlier this year over its use to produce non-consensual sexualized imagery.
“Grok created deepfake pornography and sexualized content which harmed thousands of women and children,” Asato, a member of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, stated. “Its ability is not an accident, nor misuse, it is a design choice by its creators. In launching this case, I am pursuing accountability for those choices.”
xAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In mid-January, xAI announced it had restricted image editing in Grok and blocked users from generating images of people in revealing clothing in jurisdictions where it is illegal. However, in early February, Reuters found that even after these curbs, Grok continued to generate sexualized images of individuals even when users explicitly warned that the subjects did not consent.
UK communications regulator Ofcom has launched a formal investigation into reports that Grok has been used to generate non-consensual sexual deepfakes, including undressed images of women and sexualized images of children. This investigation adds to the mounting legal and regulatory challenges facing xAI.
xAI is part of Musk’s rocket and space exploration company SpaceX, which is expected to launch what could become the largest initial public offering in history later this month.
According to a statement from Asato’s office, after she condemned Grok in January, users created and shared fake images depicting her in a bikini and a video showing her being chloroformed and prepared for a sexual assault. These actions underscore the potential for AI tools to be weaponized against public figures.
In March, the City of Baltimore sued xAI, alleging that Grok’s ability to create fake sexualized images violated the city’s consumer protection law. That case is ongoing.
Law firm AWO confirmed that Asato has filed a claim at the High Court in England for breaches of data protection law and misuse of her private information. She is seeking remedies including damages, a formal acknowledgment that what happened to her was illegal, and an order requiring xAI to stop all further illegality.
“This is one of the first claims to test liability for the design of an AI system, and we hope it will make it clear to AI developers that safety cannot be an afterthought,” said Ravi Naik, legal director of AWO.
