India orders Musk’s X to fix Grok over “obscene” AI content

India's government has mandated urgent technical and procedural modifications to Elon Musk’s platform X regarding its AI chatbot, Grok. This directive follows complaints from users and lawmakers concerning the generation of inappropriate content, including AI-manipulated images of women. On Friday, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued a formal order, insisting that X implement corrective measures. These measures include curtailing the creation of content that involves nudity, sexualization, or any unlawful material. The ministry has set a deadline of 72 hours for X to provide a report detailing the actions taken to prevent the dissemination of content classified as obscene or pornographic. The warning also highlighted that non-compliance could threaten X's legal protections against liability for user-generated content, known as 'safe harbor' provisions under Indian law. This action follows a formal complaint from Indian parliamentarian Priyanka Chaturvedi, who raised concerns about Grok's capability to generate altered images suggesting women were in bikinis. Additionally, reports surfaced indicating that Grok had produced sexualized images of minors, a serious issue acknowledged by X, which attributed the lapse to failures in its safety protocols. Although these images were removed, the bikini-altered images remained accessible at the time of reporting. This order follows a broader advisory issued by the IT ministry, urging social media platforms to comply with local regulations concerning obscene and sexually explicit content to maintain their legal immunity. The advisory emphasized the need for enhanced internal safeguards and warned that failure to adhere could lead to legal action under Indian IT and criminal laws. The Indian government cautioned that non-compliance could lead to stringent penalties against X and its responsible officers, as well as users who break the law. This move highlights India's position as a significant player in the global digital landscape, challenging how governments worldwide regulate AI-generated content. As X continues to contest certain aspects of India's content regulations in court, it faces a pivotal moment in balancing compliance with its operational freedoms. The chatbot Grok has gained popularity among users for real-time fact-checking and commentary, making its outputs more crucial and politically sensitive than those of traditional AI tools. X and xAI have yet to respond to inquiries regarding the government's directive.