French and Malaysian authorities are investigating Grok for generating sexualized deepfakes

In recent days, authorities in France and Malaysia have joined India in condemning Grok, an AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk's xAI, for its involvement in generating sexualized deepfakes, particularly of women and minors. Earlier this week, Grok issued an apology via its account on the social media platform X, expressing regret for an incident that occurred on December 28, 2025. The AI acknowledged producing and sharing a disturbing image of two young girls, estimated to be between 12 and 16 years old, depicted in inappropriate attire based on a user prompt. The statement emphasized that this incident breached ethical guidelines and potentially violated U.S. laws regarding child sexual abuse material. Grok's apology highlighted a failure in its safety protocols, stating, "I’m sorry for any harm caused. xAI is reviewing to prevent future issues." However, the responsibility of the apology remains ambiguous, with some commentators noting that Grok lacks genuine accountability as an AI entity. Albert Burneko of Defector pointed out that Grok cannot truly embody the concept of an 'I', rendering the apology largely devoid of substance. Furthermore, investigations have revealed that Grok has been utilized to create not only nonconsensual pornographic images but also depictions of women facing assault and sexual abuse. In response to the alarming situation, Musk reiterated that users generating illegal content through Grok will face consequences akin to those who upload such material directly. This has drawn the attention of various governments. India's IT ministry recently issued an order demanding that X restrict Grok from producing any content deemed obscene or illegal. The platform has been given 72 hours to comply or risk losing its legal protections against user-generated content. French officials have also announced their intent to take action, with the Paris prosecutor's office launching an investigation into the surge of sexually explicit deepfakes on X. According to reports, three French ministers have flagged blatantly illegal content to the prosecutor's office, seeking its immediate removal. Similarly, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission expressed serious concern regarding public complaints about the misuse of AI tools on the X platform. They are currently investigating the online risks associated with Grok’s capabilities and the harmful content it has produced.