The investigations into Elon Musk’s xAI (X.AI) being used to create sexually explicit material continue to mount, with California Attorney General Rob Bonta launching a probe on Wednesday.
“The avalanche of reports detailing the non-consensual, sexually explicit material that xAI has produced and posted online in recent weeks is shocking,” Bonta said. “This material, which depicts women and children in nude and sexually explicit situations, has been used to harass people across the internet. I urge xAI to take immediate action to ensure this goes no further. We have zero tolerance for the AI-based creation and dissemination of nonconsensual intimate images or of child sexual abuse material.”
The investigation will determine if xAI has violated the law by allowing Grok to generate these images.
“As the top law enforcement official of California tasked with protecting our residents, I am deeply concerned with this development in AI and will use all the tools at my disposal to keep California’s residents safe,” Bonta added.
The attorney general cites a recent analysis that found more than half of the 20,000 images generated by xAI between Christmas and New Year’s depicted people in minimal clothing. Some of those images appeared to be children.
Musk, who also serves as the CEO of Tesla (TSLA), also leads SpaceX, X and Neuralink.
Earlier this month, a group of U.S. senators asked Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOG)(GOOGL) to remove Grok and X apps from their digital stores.
The U.K. has also initiated an investigation into X due to “deeply concerning reports of the Grok AI chatbot account on X being used to create and share undressed images of people.”
Malaysia’s communications regulator said it will take legal action against X and xAI over the debacle as well.
Musk posted on January 3 on X, saying that “anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content.”