California orders Musk's xAI to stop generating obscene images
What's the story
The California Attorney General's office has launched an investigation into Elon Musk's xAI. The probe comes after reports that the company's chatbot, Grok, was being used to create non-consensual sexual imagery of women and minors. Following this revelation, a cease-and-desist letter was sent to xAI on Friday, demanding immediate action against the production of such material.
Legal action
AG demands immediate compliance from xAI
California AG Rob Bonta stressed in a press release that the creation of non-consensual sexualized images is illegal. He said, "I fully expect xAI to immediately comply. California has zero tolerance for [CSAM]." The AG's office also alleged that xAI seems to be facilitating large-scale production of non-consensual nudes, which are being used to harass women and girls online.
Feature controversy
xAI's 'spicy' mode under scrutiny
The controversy mainly revolves around Grok's "spicy" mode feature, which was designed to create explicit content. The issue has transcended California as Japan, Canada, and Britain have launched investigations into Grok. Meanwhile, Malaysia and Indonesia have temporarily banned the platform altogether. Despite some restrictions on its image-editing features implemented by xAI late Wednesday, the California AG's office proceeded with the cease-and-desist letter.
Safety measures
X's safety account warns against illegal content creation
X's safety account has previously warned users against creating illegal content with Grok. It said, "Anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content." The statement was a clear warning to users misusing the platform for creating non-consensual sexual material.
Industry concern
Free generative AI tools contribute to rise in non-consensual material
The emergence of free generative AI tools has led to a worrying increase in non-consensual sexual material. This issue isn't limited to X alone; many platforms are dealing with it. The matter has caught the attention of state leaders and Congress alike. On Thursday, lawmakers wrote to executives at several companies including X, Reddit, Snap, TikTok, Alphabet, and Meta asking how they plan to stop the spread of sexualized deepfakes.