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JD Vance Calls the Grok AI chatbot’s sexualization of images of women and children “completely unacceptable”, David Lammy He said after meeting with the US Vice President.
Elon MuskGrok creator xAI and boss of X social media platform that shared images accuse UK government He was deemed “fascist” and seeking to restrict free speech after ministers stepped up threats to effectively block his website.
Donald Trump’s allies have also criticized Sir Keir Starmer’s government after ministers backed regulator Ofcom to take any necessary action against X.
Ofcom has contacted X and xAI about Grok’s production of images of nude people and child pornography, and is conducting a “rapid assessment” of the companies’ response.
But Mr Lamy, the deputy prime minister, said Mr Vance was sympathetic to Britain’s position on the issue.
Lamy, who met Vance in the US earlier this week, told the Guardian he raised the issue of Grok “and the horrific, horrific circumstances in which this new technology is allowing deepfakes and manipulated images of women and children, which is absolutely abhorrent”.
“He agreed with me that it was totally unacceptable,” Mr Lamy said.
“I think he recognizes the seriousness of manipulating images of women and children in this way, he recognizes how despicable and unacceptable it is and I find him sympathetic to that stance.”
The tech mogul claimed the government “wants any excuse to censor” and “just wants to suppress free speech.”
Responding to a chart showing the UK’s top arrest figures for online posts, Musk said: “Why is the UK government so fascist?”
Criticism of X focused on the child abuse images Grok produced and the manipulation of photos of real women and girls to remove their clothes.
technical secretary Liz Kendall She said she would support regulator Ofcom if it decided to effectively stop X from complying with UK law, saying: “The sexual manipulation of images of women and children is despicable and abhorrent.”
She added: “I would remind xAI that the Online Safety Act includes powers to block access to services in the UK if the service refuses to comply with UK law. If Ofcom decides to use these powers, they will have our full support.”
Fianna Fáil MP Anna Paulina Luna has threatened to introduce legislation to sanction Sir Keir Starmer and the UK if X is blocked in the UK.
Sarah Rogers, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy at the US State Department, also posted a series of messages on X that were critical of the UK.
On Friday, X appeared to change Grok’s settings, with the chatbot telling users that only paying subscribers could ask it to process images.
However, reports indicate that this will only apply to those who request it in reply to other posts, while other ways of editing or creating the image (including on a separate Grok site) remain open.
Ms Kendall said it was “completely unacceptable that Grok would allow this if you were willing to pay for it”, adding that she expected an update on Ofcom’s next steps “in days rather than weeks”.
Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom has the power to fine businesses up to £18 million (or 10% of global revenue) and take criminal action.
It can also order payment providers, advertisers and internet service providers to stop working with a site, effectively banning them, although this requires the court’s consent.
Ms Kendall also pointed to plans to ban nudity apps as part of the Crime and Policing Bill currently before Parliament, with powers to criminalize the creation of intimate images without consent, due to come into effect in the coming weeks.
The British government’s criticism of X was backed by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
“The use of generative artificial intelligence to exploit or sexualize other people without their consent is abhorrent,” he said in a speech in Canberra.