London
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n The European Union\u2019s data privacy watchdog has launched an investigation into Elon Musk\u2019s X over sexualized images generated by the social media site\u2019s AI chatbot, Grok.\n <\/p>\n
\n The move adds to mounting regulatory pressure on X, which is also facing probes in France and the United Kingdom after thousands of sexualised deepfake images \u2014 mainly of women, but also children \u2014 were generated using Grok last month, prompting a global backlash<\/a>.\n <\/p>\n \n Ireland\u2019s Data Protection Commission (DPC), which is chiefly responsible for enforcing the EU\u2019s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), said in a statement<\/a> Tuesday that it has opened a \u201clarge-scale\u201d inquiry into X concerning these images.\n <\/p>\n \n In particular, the commission will be looking into whether X complied with the EU\u2019s flagship data privacy rules in the way that it handled the personal data of the bloc\u2019s citizens.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cThe DPC has been engaging with X since media reports first emerged a number of weeks ago concerning the alleged ability of X users to prompt the @Grok account on X to generate sexualised images of real people, including children,\u201d deputy commissioner Graham Doyle said.\n <\/p>\n \n The commission\u2019s investigation will \u201cexamine X\u2019s compliance with some of their fundamental obligations under the GDPR in relation to the matters at hand,\u201d he added. CNN has contacted X for comment.\n <\/p>\n \n Developed by Musk\u2019s AI startup, xAI, which acquired X last year<\/a>, Grok is integrated into X\u2019s social media feeds.\n <\/p>\n \n Under pressure from governments, including threats of bans and fines, X restricted Grok\u2019s ability<\/a> to generate certain explicit images last month. Still, the company is facing multiple probes in Europe.\n <\/p>\n \n The United Kingdom\u2019s Information Commissioner\u2019s Office announced formal investigations<\/a> into X and xAI earlier this month, \u201ccovering their processing of personal data in relation to the Grok artificial intelligence system and its potential to produce harmful sexualised image and video content.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n Meanwhile, X offices in Paris were raided by police<\/a> at the beginning of February as part of a widening probe into the company and Grok. Musk was also summoned for questioning.\n <\/p>\n \n In response, X\u2019s global government affairs team denied any wrongdoing and said the allegations underlying the raid were \u201cbaseless.\u201d\n <\/p>\n