Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok faces intense criticism – accused of allowing users on the Musk-owned social media platform X to generate fake, sexually explicit images of real women and children.
Ashley St. Clair, the mother of one of Musk’s children, is one of the alleged victims. She said in an interview with “CBS Mornings” that aired on Tuesday that Grok allowed users to generate and publish sexual deepfake images of her to X without permission, including manipulating photos of her as a minor.
“The worst for me was seeing myself undressed, bent over and then my toddler’s backpack in the background,” the 27-year-old said. “Because I had to then see that, and see myself violated in that way in such horrific images and then put that same backpack on my son the next day, because it’s the one he wears every day to school.”
The mother of two, who has a 1-year-old son with Musk, said she asked Grok to take the photos down.
“Grok said, ‘I confirm that you don’t consent. I will no longer produce these images.’ And then it continued to produce more and more images, and more and more explicit images,” she said.
St. Clair said she filed a report directly with Musk’s company xAI, which operates Grok. Some of the images were then removed.
“This can be stopped with a singular message to an engineer,” St. Clair said.
St. Clair said her issue is with the Chatbot, not Musk – who recently said he plans to file for sole custody of their child over allegations that St. Clair “might” transition their son. A source close to St. Clair said that is “absurd and unequivocally false.”
“If they want to say my bone to pick is … the chatbot undressing minors and myself and stripping me nude, yes. You’re right. I have a bone to pick with that and I don’t care who’s doing it. So Elon’s not special about me speaking out on this,” St. Clair said.
CBS News reached out to Musk and has not received a response yet. Earlier this month, xAI said it “takes action against illegal content on X, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM), by removing it, permanently suspending accounts and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary.”
“Make it stop”
A recent study by AI Forensics, a nonprofit that investigates the algorithms of major platforms, found 53% of the Grok images they reviewed contained individuals in minimal attire, with 81% of them being women.
St. Clair said she wants the U.S. government to solve the issue and “make it stop.”
“The need to regulate it,” she said. “AI should not be allowed to generate and undress children and women. That’s what needs to happen.”
She believes the key is enforcing already existing laws, saying, “who’s ever responsible for enforcing them. Not me.”
St. Clair said her ability to earn money on X has been revoked since she has spoken out and when asked if she plans to take legal action, she said she’s “considering all options available.”
Chatbot bans
Last week, Malaysia and Indonesia banned Grok amid growing concerns about the chatbot.
Regulators in the United Kingdom have launched an investigation. Last week, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he wants “all options on the table,” which would include a potential ban.
“This is disgraceful, it’s disgusting and it’s not to be tolerated. X has got to get a grip of this,” Starmer said in an interview with a U.K. radio station. “It’s unlawful. We’re not going to tolerate it. I’ve asked for all options to be on the table.”
