Overview
- California Attorney General Robert Bonta issued a cease-and-desist directing xAI to stop producing and distributing AI-generated nonconsensual sexualized images, calling the reported material potentially illegal and referencing images of women and children.
- xAI previously announced changes that block Grok from editing images of real people into bikinis or underwear and said it geoblocked such generation in jurisdictions where it is illegal.
- Reuters testing found Grok was still privately generating sexualized images after the public rollback, indicating the restrictions could be bypassed.
- Victim accounts describe ongoing harms and gaps, with one user citing the continued ability to create sexualized images of men—such as placing men in bikinis—despite newly announced rules.
- Regulatory pressure is building globally, with the UK and France opening investigations, the EU launching checks, Japan initiating a probe, and Malaysia and Indonesia restricting or blocking access to Grok.