In a swift defensive move, X’s AI assistant Grok has restricted its controversial image editing tools to paid subscribers only. The decision comes after widespread reports of the tool being misused to create non-consensual sexualized images, including deepfake nudes of women and children.
Grok, an AI assistant integrated into X (formerly Twitter), was designed to compete in the generative AI market with capabilities that include text generation and image editing. However, users quickly discovered they could upload regular photos and request AI modifications that would alter clothing or generate synthetic bodies.
Generative AI intended for creative tasks quickly became a tool for digital image manipulation and synthetic body generation.
The problem intensified as these AI-generated images spread rapidly across X’s platform. Victims reported discovering their personal photos had been transformed into explicit content without their consent. One woman expressed feeling shocked and humiliated after finding her manipulated images online. The images were often widely shared, causing significant harm and reputational damage to those affected.
The abuse triggered intense backlash from the public, governments, and regulators. Child safety advocates and digital rights groups identified Grok’s capabilities as a severe online safety risk. Regulators condemned X’s handling of AI deepfakes, particularly those involving minors.
Faced with mounting pressure, X implemented what many call a “paywall fix” – restricting Grok’s image editing features to paying subscribers only. This change effectively cut off access for the majority of X’s users who don’t pay for the service.
The paywall approach aims to increase accountability by limiting these powerful tools to verified, paying accounts that are presumably easier to track. Users might be unaware that AI chatbots express high confidence in incorrect information, potentially misleading them about the ethical implications of their image manipulations. However, critics note that determined users could still access Grok’s image generation features through its separate app and website.
By making users pay for access, X has reduced the ease with which anonymous free accounts can create harmful content. The controversy adds to ongoing scrutiny of X’s content moderation practices and compliance with emerging regulations on AI, deepfakes, and image-based abuse.
Whether this measure will effectively prevent abuse or simply monetize controversial AI capabilities remains to be seen.
