{"id":110519,"date":"2026-01-09T13:50:49","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T13:50:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=110519"},"modified":"2026-01-09T13:50:49","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T13:50:49","slug":"elon-musks-grok-ai-image-editing-limited-to-paid-x-users-after-deepfakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=110519","title":{"rendered":"Elon Musk\u2019s Grok AI image editing limited to paid X users after deepfakes"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Elon Musk\u2019s platform X has limited image editing with its AI tool Grok to paying users, after it came under fire for allowing people to make sexualised deepfakes.<\/p>\n

There has been a significant backlash after the chatbot honoured requests from users to digitally alter images of other people by undressing them without their consent.<\/p>\n

But Grok is now telling people asking it to make such material that only paid subscribers would be able to do so \u2013 meaning their name and payment information must be on file.<\/p>\n

The BBC has approached X for comment.<\/p>\n

Those who do not subscribe can still use Grok to edit images on its separate app and website.<\/p>\n

\u201cMusk has thrown his toys out of the pram in protest at being held to account for the tsunami of abuse,\u201d said Professor Clare McGlynn, an expert in the legal regulation of pornography, sexual violence and online abuse.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of taking the responsible steps to ensure Grok could not be used for abusive purposes, it has withdrawn access for the vast majority of users.\u201d<\/p>\n

And Hannah Swirsky, head of policy at the Internet Watch Foundation, said it \u201cdoes not undo the harm which has been done\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do not believe it is good enough to simply limit access to a tool which should never have had the capacity to create the kind of imagery we have seen in recent days,\u201d she said.,<\/p>\n

The charity\u00a0previously said\u00a0its analysts had discovered \u201ccriminal imagery\u201d of girls aged between 11 and 13 which \u201cappeared to have been created\u201d using Grok.<\/p>\n

\u201cSitting and waiting for unsafe products to be abused before taking action is unacceptable,\u201d Swirsky said.<\/p>\n

It comes after the government\u00a0urged regulator Ofcom to use all its powers\u00a0\u2013 up to and including an effective ban \u2013 against X over concerns about unlawful AI images created on the site.<\/p>\n

Addressing concerns that sexualised images of adults and children had been generated by Grok, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it was \u201cdisgraceful\u201d and \u201cdisgusting\u201d.<\/p>\n

He said Ofcom had the government\u2019s \u201cfull support\u201d to act on the content.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s unlawful. We\u2019re not going to tolerate it. I\u2019ve asked for all options to be on the table,\u201d he said in an interview with Greatest Hits Radio.<\/p>\n

Government sources told BBC News: \u201cWe would expect Ofcom to use all powers at its disposal in regard to Grok and X.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ofcom\u2019s powers under the\u00a0Online Safety Act\u00a0include being able to seek a court order to prevent third parties from helping the Elon Musk-owned platform raise money or be accessed in the UK.<\/p>\n

The BBC has approached the regulator for comment.<\/p>\n

\u2018Subscribe to unlock\u2019<\/h2>\n

Grok is a free tool which users can tag directly in posts or replies under other users\u2019 posts to ask it for a particular response.<\/p>\n

But the feature has also allowed people to request it to edit images \u2013 and ask it to digitally strip people of most of their clothing.<\/p>\n

Grok has fulfilled many user requests asking it to edit images of women to show them in bikinis or little clothing \u2013 something those subject to such requests have told the BBC left them feeling \u201chumiliated\u201d and \u201cdehumanised\u201d.<\/p>\n

However as of Friday morning, Grok has told users asking it to alter images uploaded to X that \u201cimage generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers\u201d.<\/p>\n

It adds users \u201ccan subscribe to unlock these features\u201d.<\/p>\n

Some posts on the platform seen by BBC News suggest only those with a blue tick \u201cverified\u201d mark \u2013 exclusive to X\u2019s paid subscriber tier \u2013 were able to successfully request image edits to Grok.<\/p>\n

Dr Daisy Dixon, a female X user who said she had seen an increase in people using Grok to undress her, welcomed the change but said it felt \u201clike a sticking plaster\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrok needs to be totally redesigned and have built-in ethical guardrails to prevent this from ever happening again,\u201d she told the BBC.<\/p>\n

\u201cElon Musk also needs to acknowledge this for what it is \u2013 yet another instance of gender-based violation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prof McGlynn said\u00a0X\u2019s move echoed its approach<\/strong>\u00a0to\u00a0pornographic Taylor Swift deepfakes on the platform last year\u00a0\u2013 where it blocked searches for sexualised material generated of the popstar using a Grok AI video feature.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is doing this to stoke free speech arguments,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe will claim regulation is stifling people\u2019s use of this technology. But, all the regulation requires is that he takes necessary precautions to reduce harm.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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