Grok image generation is now paywalled on X amid AI "undressing" controversy (update: not paywalled)

No changes to the standalone app, though

by · TechSpot

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What just happened? With the pressure growing on X over Grok's sexualized deepfake images of women and children, the AI tool's image creation feature has now been restricted to paying X subscribers – but it can still be accessed by everyone through the standalone app. The move comes as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer suggested that X be blocked in the UK.

There has been growing outcry over Grok after it was revealed that the chatbot is being used to generated nude and other sexualized deepfakes, sometimes involving minors. A study found that it created about 6,700 images every hour that were identified as sexually suggestive or nudifying. For comparison, the other top websites for such content average 79 similar images per hour combined.

Update (12pm): As verified by multiple users, unsubscribed X users can still edit images, with the platform only limiting requests when publicly replying to the Grok chatbot. Image editing remains available on the desktop site, while app users can access the same feature by long-pressing on an image. By avoiding public prompts, X's intent seems to leave controversial image edits out of the public feed as a rapid fix.

With numerous countries investigating the matter, the UK considering a ban on X, and the company continuing to blame users rather than Grok, restrictions have now been introduced.

"Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers," Grok wrote in an X post. The change means that only people who have their full details and credit card information stored on X's systems can use Grok to create images directly on X. It's presumed that as they can be identified, subscribers won't create anything they shouldn't.

The caveat is that anyone – non-paying users included – can still generate images on the separate standalone Grok app, which does not share the images it creates publicly.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has confirmed that Grok had been used to create "criminal imagery of children aged between 11 and 13."

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Elon Musk previously said that anyone using Grok to create illegal content would face the same consequences as having uploaded such material directly.

The UK government has reacted to the new restriction. It condemned the move as simply making the ability to generate explicit and unlawful images a premium service.

"It's not a solution. In fact, it's insulting to victims of misogyny and sexual violence. What it does prove is that X can move swiftly when it wants to do so. You heard the prime minister yesterday. He was abundantly clear that X needs to act, and needs to act now. It is time for X to grip this issue," a Downing Street spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that it would support any action taken by Ofcom, the UK's media regulator.

In a reply to users last week, Grok said that most cases of minors appearing in its generated sexualized images could be prevented through advanced filters and monitoring, but it admitted that "no system is 100% foolproof." It added that xAI was prioritizing improvements and reviewing details shared by users.