California launches probe into Musk's xAI after Grok deepfake scandal
California's Attorney General is investigating Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, after reports that its chatbot Grok was used to make nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfakes of women and others.
Users allegedly prompted Grok's image tools to turn regular photos into nude or lingerie versions, raising serious concerns about misuse.
Spotlight on 'spicy mode' and global fallout
The main focus is Grok's "spicy mode," which lets users create sexualized images of real people—including minors—just by typing prompts.
The investigation follows complaints from users, victim advocates, lawmakers and regulators, with some images reportedly shared on X (formerly Twitter).
In response, X has banned editing real people into revealing clothing and said users creating illegal content will face consequences.
Other countries like Canada and the UK are also looking into similar issues, as calls grow for stricter rules against AI-generated deepfakes.