Elon Musk's social media platform X has restricted its AI image editing tool to paying subscribers only after facing mounting criticism over explicit deepfakes created without consent.
The decision comes after thousands of users exploited Grok, X's chatbot, to undress people in photographs, sparking global outrage digitally.
X users have been prompting the AI tool to alter images since late December 2025, creating sexually suggestive content from innocent photos posted online.
Research by deepfake analyst Genevieve Oh revealed that Grok generated approximately 6,700 sexually explicit or nudifying images every hour during the 24 hours between January 5 and 6.
This made X the leading platform for non-consensual AI-generated intimate images, far surpassing other websites that averaged just 79 such photos per hour.
The chatbot will now require users to be paid subscribers before accessing image editing features, meaning their names and payment information must be registered.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the development, calling it "disgraceful" and "disgusting".
"It's unlawful. We're not going to tolerate it. I've asked for all options to be on the table," he told Greatest Hits Radio.
The UK government has urged media regulator Ofcom to consider all enforcement options, including an effective ban on X if necessary.
Authorities in Europe, India, Malaysia, and Brazil have launched investigations into Grok's role in creating sexualised images, including those depicting children.
European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier dismissed X's characterisation of the content as spicy mode, saying it was illegal, appalling, and disgusting.
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has ordered X to conduct a comprehensive review of Grok's governance and technical safeguards.
Malaysia's Communications and Multimedia Commission is calling in X representatives for questioning over the violations.
While critics condemned the situation, Musk appeared to mock concerns by sharing Grok-generated images of himself in a bikini, accompanied by laughing emojis.
