UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has issued a strict ultimatum to Elon Musk’s X, warning that the government expects action within “days, not weeks” regarding the platform’s Grok AI scandal. Ministers are threatening to block the platform after it was revealed that Grok was generating non-consensual sexual images of women and children. Musk has responded by accusing the government of wanting to “suppress free speech” and highlighting Grok’s download success, setting up a tense timeline for compliance.
The urgency of the government’s response is driven by the graphic nature of the content being generated. Grok was used to create deepfake images of women and girls in micro-bikinis, as well as in scenes of bondage and violence. The potential for the tool to create child sexual abuse material has created a legal emergency. Kendall’s “days not weeks” comment signals that the government is not prepared to engage in a drawn-out negotiation and expects immediate results.
Kendall emphasized that Ofcom is seeking urgent answers and that the government stands ready to support the regulator in using its full powers, including blocking access to the service. The threat is intended to focus the minds of X’s executives on the severity of the situation. The government is keen to demonstrate that its new online safety laws have teeth and can be used to hold even the largest tech companies accountable.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined the criticism, calling the situation “abhorrent.” While Musk has his defenders, the pressure from the UK government is acute. The tight timeframe leaves little room for maneuvering, and X will need to demonstrate significant changes to its AI tool to avoid punitive measures.
X has restricted image generation for free users but continues to offer the feature to paid subscribers. This response may not be enough to satisfy the government’s demands. The incident has also sparked calls for new legislation to ban “nudification” apps entirely, ensuring that no platform can legally offer such tools in the future.