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Australia\u2019s online safety watchdog is investigating sexualised deepfake images posted on X<\/a> by its AI chatbot, Grok.<\/p>\n Elon Musk\u2019s X has faced a global backlash since Grok began generating sexualised images of women and girls without their consent in response to requests for it to undress them.<\/p>\n Ashley St Clair, the estranged mother of one of Musk\u2019s children, said she had no response to her complaints about being digitally undressed.<\/p>\n \u201cI felt horrified, I felt violated, especially seeing my toddler\u2019s backpack in the back of it,\u201d she said<\/a> this week.<\/p>\n The fake images included one of a 12-year-old girl in a bikini. Grok issued an apology<\/a> but continues to generate the deepfakes.<\/p>\n eSafety Australia said it was investigating images of adults but that the images of children did not, at this point, meet the threshold for child sexual exploitation material.<\/p>\n \u201cSince late 2025, eSafety has received several reports relating to the use of Grok to generate sexualised images without consent,\u201d an eSafety spokesperson said.<\/p>\n \u201cSome reports relate to images of adults, which are assessed under our image-based abuse scheme, while others relate to potential child sexual exploitation material, which are assessed under our illegal and restricted content scheme.<\/p>\n \u201cThe image-based abuse reports were received very recently and are still being assessed.<\/p>\n \u201cIn respect of the illegal and restricted content reports, the material did not meet the classification threshold for class 1 child sexual exploitation material. As a result, eSafety did not issue removal notices or take enforcement action in relation to those specific complaints.\u201d<\/p>\n Sign up: AU Breaking News email<\/sub><\/a><\/p>\n The Australian regulator defines illegal and restricted material as \u201conline content that ranges from the most seriously harmful material, such as images and videos showing the sexual abuse of children or acts of terrorism, through to content which should not be accessed by children, such as simulated sexual activity, detailed nudity or high impact violence\u201d.<\/p>\n The X app allows users to access a \u201cspicy mode\u201d for explicit content.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not spicy,\u201d the European Union\u2019s digital affairs spokesperson, Thomas Regnier, told the ABC<\/a>. \u201cThis is illegal. This is appalling.\u201d<\/p>\n Eliot Higgins, the founder of the investigative journalism group Bellingcat, exposed how Grok handled requests<\/a> to manipulate a picture of the Swedish deputy prime minister, Ebba Busch, in parliament.<\/p>\n Users gave Grok instructions such as \u201cbikini now\u201d and \u201cnow put her in a confederate flag bikini\u201d. Higgins said the images provided reflected the prompts.<\/p>\n On Wednesday it was revealed that Musk\u2019s artificial intelligence company xAI, which developed Grok, had raised $20bn<\/a> in its latest funding round.<\/p>\n The UK\u2019s technology secretary, Liz Kendall, said the deepfake images were \u201cappalling and unacceptable in decent society\u201d and that X needed to deal with it \u201curgently\u201d.<\/p>\n The eSafety spokesperson said the regulator remained \u201cconcerned about the increasing use of generative AI to sexualise or exploit people, particularly where children are involved\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201ceSafety has taken enforcement action in 2025 in relation to some of the \u2018nudify\u2019 services most widely used to create AI child sexual exploitation material, leading to their withdrawal from Australia,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n Guardian Australia contacted X for comment. On Monday, the company said: \u201cWe take action against illegal content on X, including child sexual abuse material, by removing it, permanently suspending accounts and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n After global outcry at the harmful nature of the content, Musk posted that \u201canyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content\u201d.<\/p>\n In Australia, support is available at Beyond Blue<\/a> on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline<\/a> on 13 11 14, and at MensLine<\/a> on 1300 789 978. Children, young adults, parents and teachers can contact the Kids Helpline<\/a> on 1800 55 1800; adult survivors can seek help at Blue Knot Foundation<\/a> on 1300 657 380. In the UK, the charity Mind<\/a> is available on 0300 123 3393 and Childline<\/a> on 0800 1111. The NSPCC<\/a> offers support to children on 0800 1111, and adults concerned about a child on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac<\/a>) offers support for adult survivors on 0808 801 0331. In the US, call or text Mental Health America<\/a> at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org, or call or text the Childhelp<\/a> abuse hotline on 800-422-4453. Other sources of help can be found at Child Helpline International<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n