Britain has announced sweeping legal measures to combat AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery, with Technology Secretary Liz Kendall declaring such content "weapons of abuse" during a House of Commons address on Monday. The move comes amid heightened scrutiny of Elon Musk's Grok AI chatbot, which regulators allege has been used to create sexualized deepfakes of women and children.
The new provisions under the Online Safety Act and Data Act make creating or distributing such material a criminal offense for both individuals and platforms. Kendall emphasized that platforms like X (formerly Twitter) hosting Grok must now prioritize removing this content, warning: "Anyone who does so should expect to face the full extent of the law."
Britain's communications regulator Ofcom has launched its first formal investigation into X's compliance with safety standards, calling the Grok case its "highest priority." The agency retains authority to block services that fail to address illegal content.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the alleged misuse of Grok for generating explicit material as "disgraceful" and "disgusting," reflecting growing global concerns about AI ethics. The legislation's rapid implementation this week signals Britain's push to set international precedents in digital accountability.
