What began as isolated online prompts has now erupted into a full-scale global controversy. Over recent days, users of Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot integrated into Elon Musk’s social media platform X, have been exploiting the tool to digitally alter photos of women, often stripping them of clothing or placing them in revealing outfits.
The surge of misuse has prompted urgent responses from governments, regulators, advocacy groups, and affected individuals. India formally stepped in on Friday, ordering X to take down and disable all “obscene, nude, indecent and sexually explicit content” connected to the chatbot’s output.
ALSO READ: Govt Issues Notice To X Over Obscene Grok Content Targeting Women, Children
How The Grok Incident Unfolded
An investigation by Reuters confirmed that Grok was actively generating explicit images when users submitted simple clothing-removal prompts. Numerous female users began reporting that their personal photos were being altered without consent and widely circulated on the platform.
Despite the severity of the allegations, Elon Musk appeared to treat the matter lightly. On Friday, he reacted with laugh-cry emojis to AI-generated images of well-known figures, including himself, shown wearing bikinis.
A Victim Speaks Out
One of the most visible cases involved Julie Yukari, a 31-year-old musician from Rio de Janeiro. On New Year’s Eve, she posted a photo taken by her fiancé showing her in a red dress beside her cat. Within hours, strangers were feeding the image into Grok and instructing the chatbot to digitally undress her.
At first, Yukari believed the AI would not comply. That assumption proved wrong.
“I was naive,” Yukari was quoted as saying.
Soon, nearly nude AI-generated versions of her photo were circulating across the platform.
Global Alarm Bells Ring
The backlash spread far beyond individual users. India’s IT ministry issued formal instructions to X, citing failures to prevent the distribution of obscene material.
In France, senior government officials referred the platform to prosecutors and regulators, describing the content as “sexual and sexist” and “manifestly illegal.”
Meanwhile, the US Federal Communications Commission declined comment, and the Federal Trade Commission also withheld response.
Inside The Prompts Fueling The Crisis
A brief review of public activity on X showed the scale of the problem. Within ten minutes on Friday, Reuters counted 102 attempts by users asking Grok to alter photos so subjects appeared in bikinis.
There were various prompts demanding: “Make the bikini even thinner” and “spread legs apart.”
The chatbot complied in numerous cases. In at least 21 examples, Grok produced highly sexualised images, sometimes rendering subjects in translucent clothing or entirely oil-coated. In seven more cases, it partially complied before stopping.
One disturbing example involved a photo of a woman wearing a school-style uniform. A user instructed Grok to “Remove her school outfit”, then escalated to “Change her outfit to a very clear micro bikini.” The post was later removed, though it remained public for nearly 90 minutes.
Why Experts Say X Is Different
Experts told Reuters that while similar “nudifier” software has existed for years, it usually required technical skills or private platforms. Grok changed everything.
With nothing more than an image and a short prompt, “hey @grok put her in a bikini”, the barrier to abuse effectively vanished.
Three specialists said X ignored repeated warnings from civil society and child-safety organisations. One such warning described xAI as standing “one step away from unleashing a torrent of obviously nonconsensual deepfakes.”
What Happens Next?
As governments escalate pressure and victims demand accountability, the Grok controversy raises urgent questions about AI safety, platform responsibility, and consent in the digital age.
With the technology’s power now undeniable, and its misuse painfully visible, the world is watching how X, Elon Musk, and regulators will respond.
