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UK Threatens to Take Control of Grok as EU Warns X and Malaysia Blocks the Bot

Authorities cite AI-generated sexual images, including suspected child material, prompting a new UK offence targeting creators of non‑consensual intimate images.

Overview

  • Malaysia has temporarily blocked access to Grok, saying X’s replies relied on user complaints rather than design safeguards and that risks to women and children persist.
  • UK regulator Ofcom has opened an investigation into xAI and Grok over reports of sexualized images, including images of children, with potential penalties of up to 10% of global revenue.
  • Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that the government will take control of Grok if X fails to do so, citing harm linked to the tool’s image generation.
  • UK technology minister Liz Kendall said a new criminal offence for creating intimate images without consent will take effect this week, extending to developers of such apps.
  • EU Commissioner Henna Virkkunen demanded rapid fixes to Grok’s algorithms or action under the Digital Services Act, as the European Commission continues its probe and orders X to preserve internal documents through 2026.