Elon Musk’s Grok AI Image Editing Limited to Paid Users After Deepfakes

Elon Musk’s Platform X has limited image editing with its AI tool Grok to paying users, after coming under fire for allowing people to create sexualized deepfakes.

There was significant backlash after the chatbot honored users’ requests to digitally alter other people’s images by undressing them without their consent.

But Grok now tells people who ask him to create such content that only paid subscribers will be able to do so – meaning their name and payment information must be recorded.

The BBC has contacted X for comment.

Those who don’t subscribe can still use Grok to edit images on its separate app and website.

“Musk threw his toys out of the pram in protest at being blamed for the tsunami of abuse,” said Professor Clare McGlynn, an expert in the legal regulation of pornography, sexual violence and online abuse.

“Instead of taking responsible steps to ensure that Grok could not be misused, it removed access from the vast majority of users.”

And Hannah Swirsky, policy manager at the Internet Watch Foundation, said it “doesn’t undo the harm that’s been done.”

“We don’t think it’s enough to simply limit access to a tool that should never have had the ability to create the kinds of images we’ve seen in recent days,” she said.

Charity said previously its analysts had discovered “criminal images” of girls aged 11 to 13 that “appeared to have been created” using Grok.

“It is unacceptable to sit back and wait for dangerous products to be abused before taking action,” Swirsky said.

This comes after the government urged regulator Ofcom to use all its powers – up to an effective ban – against X due to concerns about illegal AI images created on the site.

Responding to concerns about sexualised images of adults and children generated by Grok, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it was “shameful” and “disgusting”.

He said Ofcom had the “full support” of the Government to act on the content.

“It’s illegal. We’re not going to tolerate it. I’ve asked that all options be on the table,” he said in an interview with Greatest Hits Radio.

Government sources told BBC News: “We expect Ofcom to use all the powers at its disposal regarding Grok and X.”

Ofcom’s powers under the Online Safety Act This includes the ability to seek a court order to prevent third parties from helping the Elon Musk-owned platform raise funds or be accessible in the UK.

The BBC has contacted the regulator for comment.

Grok is a free tool that users can tag directly in posts or replies under other users’ posts to request a particular response.

But this feature also allowed users to ask it to edit images – and ask it to digitally strip people of most of their clothing.

Grok has fielded numerous requests from users asking him to edit images of women to show them in bikinis or scanty clothing – something people subjected to such requests told the BBC left them feeling “humiliated” And “dehumanized“.

However, on Friday morning, Grok told users asking him to edit images uploaded to X that “image generation and editing is currently limited to paid subscribers.”

It adds that users “can subscribe to unlock these features.”

Some posts on the platform seen by BBC News suggest that only those with a blue ‘verified’ checkmark – exclusive to the paid subscriber tier of X – were able to successfully request image edits from Grok.

Dr Daisy Dixon, an X user who said she had seen an increase in people using Grok to undress, welcomed the change but said it felt “like a sticky plaster”.

“Grok needs to be completely overhauled and have ethical safeguards built in to prevent this from happening again,” she told the BBC.

“Elon Musk must also recognize this for what it is: yet another example of gender-based violation.”

Professor McGlynn said X’s movement echoed his approach has Pornographic deepfakes of Taylor Swift on the platform last year – where it blocked searches for sexualized material generated by the popstar using a Grok AI video feature.

“He does this to fuel arguments about free speech,” she added.

“He will claim that the regulations are stifling people’s use of this technology. But the regulations simply require that he take the necessary precautions to reduce the harm.”