Key Points
- The European Commission has launched an investigation into Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok.
- The probe is over the production of sexually explicit images, including those of children.
- The investigation will assess whether X has complied with EU digital laws.
- The UK’s media regulator, Ofcom, has already launched a similar investigation.
The European Commission has launched an investigation into Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, over its role in the creation of sexually explicit imagery. The probe, announced by an Irish member of the European Parliament on Monday, will look into whether the social media platform X has complied with the EU’s strict digital laws.
The investigation will assess if X has done enough to mitigate risks, govern content, and protect the fundamental rights of its users. “This case raises very serious questions about whether platforms are meeting their legal obligations,” said lawmaker Regina Doherty.
The move comes after a global outcry over reports that Grok was being used to create and share “undressed” images of women and children. The European Commission has already called the images “unlawful and appalling.”
This isn’t the first time Grok has landed in hot water. The UK’s media regulator, Ofcom, launched its own investigation earlier this month.
Musk’s AI company, xAI, has said that it has made changes to prevent the chatbot from creating these kinds of images and has blocked the feature in “jurisdictions where it’s illegal.” However, it did not specify which jurisdictions those are.
The EU’s investigation could put it on a collision course with the Trump administration, which has been critical of Europe’s crackdown on Big Tech and has even threatened tariffs. But EU officials are standing firm. “No company operating in the EU is above the law,” Doherty said.
