Social media giant X has imposed limits on its AI bot Grok after intense backlash over its image generation tool.
But its response has been written off by No.10 as “insulting”. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is Grok?
Grok is the free AI bot which comes with Elon Musk’s X platform – formerly known as Twitter – which can be utilised by anyone with an account, as long as they tag the bot in their post.
Designed by xAI, the “state-of-the-art large language model” can offer context to a post on X, brainstorm or solve problems for platform users.
It can also generate AI images using prompts from people with an account.
On X’s website, it says: “In responding to user queries via text or voice input, Grok has a unique feature that allows it to decide whether or not to search X public posts and conduct a real-time web search on the Internet.
“Grok’s access to real-time public X posts allows Grok to respond to user queries with up-to-date information and insights on a wide range of topics.”
X describes Grok as “an AI assistant with a twist of humour and a dash of rebellion”.
What Happened With Grok?
When prompted by users, the bot started to generate unsolicited, sexualised AI photos of women and children at the start of 2026.
It quickly became a widespread phenomenon.
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) said its analysts have unearthed “criminal imagery” of girls aged between 11 and 13 on X which “appear to have been created” using Grok.
It comes after years of controversies with X, as it’s been accused of amplifying far-right content.
These deepfakes were made by digitally altering images of real people without their consent, often undressing the individuals involved.
This sparked a huge amount of backlash, and regulator Ofcom – with enhanced powers from the government’s Online Safety Act – is currently looking into the matter.
The regulator could even seek a court order to prevent third parties from helping X raise money or be accessed in the UK.
Asked by the Greatest Hits Radio for his response, prime minister Keir Starmer expressed his backing for Ofcom.
He said Grok’s creations are “unlawful”, adding: “We’re not going to tolerate it. I’ve asked for all options to be on the table.”
What Change Has X Introduced?
As of Friday, Grok is telling X users that only paid subscribers can use its AI-image generation tool.
All paid subscribers have to put their name and payment information on file.
It comes after Musk posted on X, saying: “Anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content.”
However, those who do not subscribe to X can still use Grok’s AI image generator by going directly to Grok’s separate website.
Keir Starmer’s spokesperson in No.10 told reporters on Friday: “That move … that simply turns an AI feature that allows the creation of unlawful images into a premium service.
“It’s not a solution. In fact, it’s insulting the victims of misogyny and sexual violence.
“What it does prove is that X can move swiftly when it wants to do so.”
The spokesperson said Starmer has been “abundantly clear that X needs to act and needs to act now, it is time for X to grip this issue.”
He added: “If another media company had billboards in town centres showing unlawful images, it would act immediately to take them down or face public backlash.”
The representative said “all options” are on the table, including for Ofcom to use its powers to “take any action”.
Asked why the government was not doing more to tackle Grok right now, he said: “Our focus here is stopping abhorrent images being made on grok and we will prioritise action that puts an end to that.”
Professor Clare McGlynn, expert in the regulation of pornography, was not impressed by X’s move either.
She told the BBC: “Musk has thrown his toys out of the pram in protest at being held to account for the tsunami of abuse.
“Instead of taking the responsible steps to ensure Grok could not be used for abusive purposes, it has withdrawn access for the vast majority of users.”
What Happens Next?
Amid wider speculation the government could ban the platform for Brits altogether, trade minister Chris Bryant dispelled the claims online.
He said: “Nobody is talking about banning X/Twitter in the UK. This is conspiracy theory no 3,627.”
But former cabinet minister and current backbencher Louise Haigh urged the government to at least stop using the platform themselves.
“The revelations around the enablement, if not encouragement, of child sexual abuse mean it is unconscionable to use the site for another minute,” she said.
“I call on my party and my government to remove themselves entirely from X and communicate with the public where they actually participate online and can be protected from such illegality.”
As Lib Dem peer Mark Pack noted, most government departmental websites encourage the public to follow them on X, relying on the social media giant to help them reach voters.
Online safety minister Kanishka Narayan told HuffPost UK that Ofcom’s investigation with be “not just prompt but robust”, although he refused to “commit them to a false timeline”.
He added: “Ofcom is carrying out an urgent investigation to assess the compliance of the platform with the law.”