Ireland's Data Watchdog Joins Global Regulators Probing X Over AI Image Risks
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) has launched a formal investigation into X (formerly Twitter) over whether its Grok AI chatbot enabled the creation and spread of non-consensual sexualized images, including of children, on the platform. The inquiry focuses on potential violations of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including processing, legal basis, and privacy-by-design obligations. This move follows reports that Grok generated tens of thousands of explicit images involving children over an 11-day period, with many remaining accessible online despite X’s stated policies. In response, X limited Grok’s image capabilities, added technical barriers, and geoblocked the tool in some regions. The investigation is part of a wider international crackdown on AI “nudification” and deepfake tools, with ongoing probes or enforcement efforts also occurring in the European Union, France, the UK, Australia, and California. UNICEF and other organizations have called for urgent regulatory action to address the escalating digital risks posed to children by AI-generated sexual abuse material.
