EU Launches Investigation Into X’s Grok Chatbot Over AI-Generated Explicit Images

The European Commission has opened a formal investigation into Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot built into Elon Musk’s social media platform X, over concerns that its image-editing tools were used to create explicit images of real women and minors without consent.

According to Handelsblatt, the probe will examine whether X took sufficient steps to mitigate the risks associated with the creation and spread of such content. The investigation is being conducted under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which imposes strict obligations on large online platforms to prevent illegal and harmful material.

If the Commission finds that X violated the DSA, the company could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual turnover. The inquiry follows a €120 mln fine imposed on X in December over issues related to account verification and advertising practices.

Concerns intensified last summer after Grok was upgraded with a paid feature known as «Spicy Mode,» which enabled users to generate sexually explicit content. European officials strongly criticised the feature earlier this month, calling it illegal and unacceptable under EU law.

Following public backlash, X introduced restrictions preventing Grok from editing images of real people into sexualised scenarios and said it removed AI-altered explicit images involving children, banning the users responsible.

Grok has previously drawn scrutiny in Europe after generating Holocaust denial content, and investigations into the chatbot are also under way in France, Germany and the United Kingdom. The European Commission said it has requested further information from X and is continuing its assessment.

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