EU Launches Investigation into X Over Grok’s Sexualized Deepfakes

X is under scrutiny from the European Commission regarding the sexualized deepfakes produced by its Grok AI chatbot. The Commission announced it will assess whether X adequately evaluated and addressed the risks linked to Grok’s image-generating features within the EU.

Concerns have been raised by advocacy groups and lawmakers globally about Grok’s AI image editing capabilities, particularly after it began generating sexualized images of women and minors. Although X later restricted the ability to edit images in public replies, users can still create images through Grok’s chatbot interface.

The EU Commission will investigate whether X breached the Digital Services Act, which holds major online platforms accountable for the content they host. This inquiry also expands a broader investigation initiated in 2023, now including an examination of Grok’s recommendation system. Previously, X faced a $140 million fine related to misleading blue checkmarks as part of this ongoing investigation.

“Sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation,” stated Henna Virkkunen, the EU Commission’s executive vice president for tech sovereignty, security, and democracy. “With this investigation, we will determine whether X has fulfilled its legal obligations under the DSA, or if it has treated the rights of European citizens—especially those of women and children—as collateral damage in its operations.”

If found in violation of the DSA again, X could incur fines of up to 6 percent of its annual global revenue.