Elon Musk’s company xAI has set new rules for its Grok AI tool. It will no longer be allowed to change photos of real people to make them look like they are wearing revealing clothing such as bikinis. This decision comes after people around the world were angry about Grok being used to create sexualised AI images.
The change was announced just hours after Musk said he did not know about any naked underage images made by Grok.
What New Restrictions Has X Placed on Grok AI?
X, which runs the Grok tool, confirmed that strict technical controls have been added. "We have implemented technological measures to prevent the Grok account from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis. "This restriction applies to all users, including paid subscribers," X said.
— Safety (@Safety) January 14, 2026
Why Did Grok Face a Legal and Global Backlash?
The decision came shortly after California’s top prosecutor said the state was investigating the spread of sexualised AI deepfakes, including those involving children.
X later said the feature would be blocked based on local laws. "We now geoblock the ability of all users to generate images of real people in bikinis, underwear, and similar attire via the Grok account and in Grok in X in those jurisdictions where it's illegal," X said on Wednesday.
How Will X Stop Users From Misusing Grok?
The company also confirmed that only paid users will still be able to edit images using Grok. According to X, these steps will help make users more accountable. The company said this update adds extra protection by ensuring that people who misuse Grok to break the law or violate X’s policies can be identified and dealt with.
What Does Elon Musk Say About NSFW Content on Grok?
With NSFW (not safe for work) settings turned on, Grok is only meant to allow "upper body nudity of imaginary adult humans (not real ones)", Musk explained.
"That is the de facto standard in America. This will vary in other regions according to the laws on a country by country basis," he added.
Earlier, Musk had defended X, saying critics "just want to suppress free speech", and he shared two AI-generated images of UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in a bikini, which increased the controversy.
What Led to the Change in Grok AI?
In recent days, leaders worldwide have criticised Grok’s image editing feature. Over the weekend, Malaysia and Indonesia became the first countries to ban the Grok AI tool after users complained that photos were being changed to create explicit images without consent.
Britain’s media regulator Ofcom said it would look into whether X had broken UK law over the spread of sexualised AI images.
Sir Keir Starmer warned that X could lose the "right to self regulate", although later he said he welcomed signs that X was addressing the issue. Several UK MPs also left X because of the controversy.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said, "This material, which depicts women and children in nude and sexually explicit situations, has been used to harass people across the internet."
Are Experts Satisfied With X’s New Safeguards?
Policy researcher Riana Pfefferkorn said she was surprised X waited so long to introduce safety controls. She believes the editing tool should have been removed as soon as abuse started. She also raised concerns about how the new rules will be enforced, including how Grok will know if a picture is of a real person and what penalties users will face. She added that Musk has not helped the situation and said it would be better if he stopped "doing things like re-posting an AI image of Keir Starmer in a bikini."