The European Data Protection Board has launched a "large-scale" investigation into Elon Musk's X chatbot over AI-generated non-consensual sexual images, further evidence of how regulators are scrutinizing the Grok chatbot used on the social network, UNN reports, citing the Financial Times.
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The Irish Data Protection Commission, which is responsible for enforcing the EU's General Data Protection Regulation, said on Monday evening that it had launched an investigation into Grok's creation and publication of "potentially harmful" sexual images that contain or are related to the processing of EU users' data.
The Grok chatbot is integrated into X's social media feeds and was developed by Musk's startup xAI, which acquired X last year. Earlier this month, xAI merged with Musk's SpaceX, which created the rocket company, resulting in a $1.5 trillion giant.
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The investigation is the latest in a series of probes by international bodies into X after thousands of sexualized deepfakes of women were created using Grok in early January, sparking widespread outrage from users, security experts, and politicians.
"The Data Protection Commission has been engaging with [X] since media reports emerged several weeks ago about the alleged ability of X users to run the @Grok account on X to generate sexualized images of real people, including children," said Graham Doyle, Deputy Commissioner of the Data Protection Commission, on Monday.
He added that the commission "has launched a large-scale investigation that will examine [X]'s compliance with some of its core obligations under the GDPR regarding the issues under consideration."
Musk, the publication writes, has taken a passive stance on moderating the Grok chatbot, citing freedom of speech. Last summer, xAI made changes to the chatbot after it praised Hitler and posted anti-Semitic messages on the X platform.
In early February, French and European investigators raided X's offices in Paris as part of a large-scale investigation into X's algorithms and the spread of AI-generated sexual content. French prosecutors summoned Musk and Linda Yaccarino, X's former CEO, for "voluntary interviews" in Paris in April.
Last week, the UK's Information Commissioner's Office also announced a new investigation into X and xAI, citing "serious concerns" about Grok's use of personal data and "its potential to generate harmful sexual content in the form of images and videos."
The EU has already launched an official investigation into xAI for the dissemination of sexual images of women and children by Grok under the EU's Digital Services Act, which obliges large technology platforms to take measures to prevent the spread of illegal and harmful content.
However, the European investigation, announced on Monday, will assess whether X violated core EU GDPR rules, which oblige companies to ensure that personal data of users is processed only for specific legitimate purposes, to consider privacy by design, and to conduct risk assessments before launching, for example, high-risk features.
Following pressure from various governments, including threats of fines and bans in the EU, UK, and France, X implemented "technological measures" last month to limit Grok's ability to generate certain explicit images. However, the company insists on removing child sexual exploitation material and non-consensual nudity.
In response to the French raids, X stated in its message that the accusations were "baseless" and that it "categorically denies any wrongdoing." It called the raid "an abuse, an act of law enforcement aimed at achieving illegal political goals," adding that the investigation "distorts French law, bypasses due process, and jeopardizes freedom of speech."
The latest investigation comes at a turbulent time for X, with dozens of employees, including two co-founders, leaving the company last week. At a general meeting on Wednesday, Musk stated that he is restructuring the group after the merger with SpaceX.