Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok has restricted its image creation and editing features to paying subscribers following backlash over sexualized deepfakes of women and children.
The move comes after reports that Grok was being misused to alter images to remove clothing from subjects, prompting criticism from governments worldwide. Countries including France, Malaysia, India, and the European Union raised concerns over unlawful content created using the AI tool.
Replying to users on X, the social media platform, Grok announced: “Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers. You can subscribe to unlock these features.” Non-paying users can no longer access the AI’s image editing capabilities.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office condemned the change, calling it “insulting” to victims of sexual violence. A Downing Street spokesperson said, “That simply turns an AI feature that allows the creation of unlawful images into a premium service.”
EU officials also criticized the move, stating that limiting access to paying users does not resolve the fundamental issue. Thomas Regnier, EU digital affairs spokesperson, said, “We don’t want to see such images. Paid or non-paid subscription does not change that.”
The European Commission has instructed X to retain all internal documents and data related to Grok until the end of 2026. Musk emphasized that anyone using Grok to create illegal content will face consequences similar to uploading unlawful material.
X’s official safety account added that the platform addresses illegal content by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and cooperating with governments and law enforcement where necessary.
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The decision to limit Grok to paying users has sparked debate over AI responsibility, content moderation, and how tech platforms should prevent the misuse of artificial intelligence. Users and authorities continue to watch closely as Musk’s platform navigates this controversy.
