Tesla boss Elon Musk has warned microblogging site ‘X’ users against using the platform’s AI service, Grok, to make illegal content or face the same consequences as those uploading illegal content.
The statement comes a day after the Ministry of Electronics and IT directed X to immediately remove all vulgar, obscene, and unlawful content, especially that generated by the AI app Grok, or face action under the law.
“Anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content," Musk said on X in response to a post on “inappropriate images".
The post said, “Some people are saying Grok is creating inappropriate images. But that’s like blaming a pen for writing something bad. A pen doesn’t decide what gets written. The person holding it does. Grok works the same way. What you get depends a lot on what you put in. Think about it!"
This comes days after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued a formal notice to X, flagging serious lapses in statutory due diligence under the Information Technology Act and IT Rules over the misuse of its artificial intelligence tool, Grok.
In its notice, MeitY raised concerns that Grok is being used to generate and circulate obscene, sexually explicit, and derogatory content, particularly targeting women and children. The ministry described the misuse as a grave violation of dignity, privacy, and digital safety, warning the platform of strict consequences if corrective steps are not taken immediately.
The government directed X to urgently review Grok’s technical design and governance framework, remove all unlawful content, take action against offending users, and submit an Action Taken Report within 72 hours. The ministry cautioned that continued non-compliance could result in the loss of safe harbour protections under the IT Act and invite action under multiple cyber, criminal, and child protection laws.
Previously, French authorities also moved against X over the misuse of its AI tools. France’s Paris prosecutor’s office expanded an investigation into the platform following complaints that Grok AI was being used to generate sexual deepfakes. The probe was initiated after two French lawmakers flagged the alleged creation and circulation of explicit, non-consensual content, prompting authorities to examine whether X violated French laws related to digital safety, consent, and the protection of women online.
