British Lawmaker Sues xAI Alleging Grok Created Chloroformed Sexual Assault Deepfakes

A British lawmaker filed a lawsuit against xAI on Wednesday, alleging the Grok AI platform generated and distributed non-consensual sexualized images of her. The suit claims users created and shared fake images depicting the lawmaker in a bikini and a video showing her "being chloroformed and prepared for a sexual assault" after she publicly condemned Grok in January.

Restrictions xAI restricted image editing in Grok in mid-January and blocked users from generating images of people in revealing clothing in jurisdictions where it is illegal. Reuters reported in early February that Grok continued to generate sexualized images of people even when users explicitly warned that the subjects did not consent.

Law firm AWO said the lawmaker filed the claim at the High Court in England for breaches of data protection law and misuse of private information. She is seeking damages, a formal acknowledgement that what happened was illegal, and an order requiring xAI to stop all further illegality.

" — Ravi Naik, legal director of AWO Grok is distributed through the X social media platform and is currently subject to regulatory probes in several countries after an outcry earlier this year over its use to create non-consensual sexualized images.

xAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment. xAI is part of Elon Musk's rocket and space exploration company SpaceX, which is expected to launch what could become the largest IPO in history later this month. In March, the City of Baltimore sued xAI, claiming Grok's ability to create fake sexualized images violated the city's consumer protection law.