Elon Musk-owned social media platform X has once again found itself in the global spotlight, this time over serious allegations involving its in-house AI chatbot, Grok. What initially appeared to be casual experimentation with AI-powered image generation has escalated into a major controversy, raising alarm bells about consent, child safety, and the lack of safeguards in powerful generative tools.

Investigations, including a detailed report by a famous publication, revealed that Grok was allegedly being misused by users to digitally manipulate photographs of real people—primarily women—into sexually suggestive or near-nude images. In several documented instances, ordinary photos uploaded on X were altered after users prompted the chatbot to “remove clothes” or portray individuals in explicit outfits. Even more troubling were findings that the AI had, in some cases, generated sexualised images involving children, dramatically intensifying criticism from regulators and safety experts worldwide.

Reacting to the backlash, Elon Musk addressed the issue by placing responsibility squarely on user behaviour rather than the technology itself. He stated that “Anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content,” comparing the AI tool to a pen that can be used responsibly or abused. While Musk’s response underscored accountability at the user level, critics argue that such tools should not be deployed at scale without robust preventive controls.

In India, the controversy prompted swift government intervention. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) directed X to immediately remove all obscene, vulgar, and unlawful content generated using Grok. The ministry also asked the platform to submit a detailed action-taken report within 72 hours, warning that non-compliance could lead to legal consequences. This move followed complaints from Members of Parliament, including Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, who raised concerns about the sexual targeting of women through AI-generated fake images.

The human impact of the misuse has also come into sharp focus. One widely cited case involved Julie Yukari, a musician based in Brazil, who shared a normal photograph on X, only to later discover Grok-generated near-nude images of herself circulating online. “I was naive,” she said, reflecting on how easily her image was manipulated without consent. According to Reuters, her experience mirrors that of several other women who reported similar violations on the platform.

The repercussions are not limited to India. In Europe, French ministers have reportedly approached prosecutors and regulators, describing the content generated through Grok as “manifestly illegal.” AI watchdogs and child safety advocates have criticised X for allegedly ignoring earlier warnings, arguing that integrating a powerful image-generation tool into a mainstream social platform without strong safeguards made abuse almost inevitable.

As pressure mounts across continents, the Grok controversy is fast emerging as a global test case for AI governance. At its core lies a critical question: where does responsibility end for users and begin for platforms deploying increasingly capable—and potentially dangerous—artificial intelligence systems?