X, formerly known as Twitter, has restricted image generation capabilities within its Grok chatbot to paying subscribers, following criticism over the tool's ability to create "undressing" images of women and sexualized depictions of apparent minors. The change, implemented Friday, now prompts users without a premium subscription to upgrade to the platform's $95 annual tier to access image generation and editing features.
The limitation arrives amid growing scrutiny of Elon Musk's X and xAI, the company responsible for developing Grok. Regulators worldwide are investigating the platform for the creation of nonconsensual explicit imagery and alleged sexual images of children. The Grok account on X now responds to certain user requests with a message stating that image generation and editing are limited to paying subscribers, along with a link to the subscription page.
The controversy surrounding Grok's image generation capabilities has intensified in recent days. Critics argue that the tool, even with the new restrictions, can still be manipulated to produce inappropriate content. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has suggested the possibility of banning X in the UK, citing unlawful activities on the platform.
Neither X nor xAI have issued an official statement regarding the specific changes to Grok's image generation policies or the ongoing investigations. The move to restrict image generation to paying subscribers raises questions about the platform's approach to content moderation and its responsibility in preventing the creation and dissemination of harmful imagery. The long-term impact of these restrictions on user engagement and the overall functionality of Grok remains to be seen.
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