Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI is facing a severe legal storm. According to the latest statement from the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the regulatory body has formally launched an investigation into xAI due to allegations that its AI chatbot Grok was used to generate and spread unauthorized explicit images of others.

The investigation was triggered by a malicious incident on the X platform last month. At that time, a large number of users exploited Grok's image generation function to create explicit images targeting real people, including women and even minors. According to relevant statistics, Grok could generate thousands of such deepfake content per hour at that time, causing public outrage and condemnation from political circles around the world. Although xAI later urgently restricted the relevant functions, the bot had already been temporarily banned in several countries and faced significant pressure from the EU and France. On Tuesday of this week, French law enforcement authorities also raided the office of X Company in Paris.

The focus of the UK ICO's investigation is whether xAI violated data protection laws in handling personal data and whether it established sufficient security measures to intercept the generation of harmful content. It is reported that the ICO has the authority to impose heavy fines of up to £17.5 million (about 166 million yuan) or 4% of the company's global annual turnover for violations. Currently, the ICO is working with the UK Communications Regulatory Authority (Ofcom) and related international organizations to verify the legality and fairness of xAI's data processing.

Key points:

  • 🛡️ Regulatory Crackdown: The UK ICO has formally launched an investigation into xAI, focusing on Grok's generation of deepfake explicit content and the risks associated with improper handling of personal data.

  • 💸 Threat of Heavy Fines: If found in violation, xAI may face the maximum fine of up to £17.5 million or 4% of its global annual revenue.

  • 🌍 Global Chain Reaction: In addition to the UK, xAI is currently simultaneously facing a criminal investigation by French police and regulatory review by the EU, and the ethical defenses of AI are being seriously questioned.