Ireland Opens Investigation Into X Over Grok’s Alleged Role in AI-Generated Sexualized Images

Ireland’s privacy regulator has launched a formal investigation into X over concerns that Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok may have helped generate and distribute non-consensual sexualized images, including images involving children. The inquiry marks a significant escalation in a growing international crackdown on AI-powered “nudification” tools and deepfake content.

The investigation was initiated by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) against X Internet Unlimited Company (XIUC), the EU-registered legal entity through which the platform operates in Europe. The probe falls under Ireland’s Data Protection Act 2018 and will examine whether Grok’s generative AI tools were involved in the creation and publication of potentially harmful intimate imagery without consent.

As the lead supervisory authority for X across the European Union and European Economic Area, the DPC will assess compliance with key provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This includes examining whether the company adhered to lawful processing principles, privacy-by-design standards, and whether a data protection impact assessment should have been conducted prior to deploying such AI capabilities.

The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) reported that Grok generated more than 23,000 sexualized images depicting children over an 11-day period between late December and early January. Researchers found that roughly one-third of sampled images remained accessible on the platform despite X’s stated zero-tolerance policies. Following public backlash, X restricted Grok’s image-generation features to paid subscribers, introduced technical safeguards to prevent manipulation of people’s clothing in images, and geoblocked the tool in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.

Global Regulatory Pressure Intensifies

Ireland’s action adds to mounting global scrutiny. In January, the European Commission opened a formal investigation under the Digital Services Act into X’s alleged role in the generation and dissemination of illegal content linked to Grok. Shortly afterward, French authorities raided X’s Paris offices in coordination with Europol as part of a criminal investigation.

In the United Kingdom, both Ofcom and the Information Commissioner’s Office launched separate probes into the platform. Prime Minister Keir Starmer signaled that new parliamentary powers could be sought to bring AI chatbot providers more directly under online safety laws. Regulators have warned that non-compliance could result in court-backed measures, including potential service restrictions.

In Australia, the eSafety Commissioner reported a sharp increase in complaints involving non-consensual AI-generated sexual imagery tied to Grok. Meanwhile, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a formal investigation into xAI and its chatbot over the creation and spread of explicit AI-generated images involving women and children.

International organizations are also raising alarm. UNICEF recently described AI sexual deepfakes as a “profound escalation” of risks facing children in digital environments, citing estimates that at least 1.2 million children were targeted last year. The agency called on governments to criminalize AI-generated abuse material and require safety-by-design safeguards in generative AI systems.

As investigations expand across multiple jurisdictions, the case against X and Grok underscores a broader regulatory shift. Governments are increasingly moving from reactive enforcement toward proactive oversight of generative AI systems, particularly where child protection and privacy rights are at stake.