Is Elon Musk's Grok AI A Safety Risk? EU Investigates Grok Over Deepfake Allegations

The European Union has opened a new investigation into Elon Musk-owned social media platform X over concerns linked to its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok.

The probe focuses on allegations that the chatbot failed to stop the creation and spread of illegal deepfake content, including material involving children.

According to reports, the European Commission will examine whether X took enough steps to identify and reduce risks after rolling out Grok across all 27 EU member countries.

The investigation is being carried out under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which sets strict rules for large online platforms to control harmful and unlawful content.

Worries Over Sexualised Deepfake Content

EU officials said the action was triggered by reports that Grok generated non-consensual sexual images. Some of the content reportedly included minors, raising serious legal and ethical concerns.

Henna Virkkunen, the EU's commissioner for technology and digital policy, said such material is a grave violation of personal dignity. She stressed that sexual deepfakes, especially those involving women and children, represent a severe form of online abuse and must be dealt with firmly by platforms and regulators.

Global Scrutiny of X Intensifies

The EU probe comes amid growing international pressure on X. Regulators and child safety groups in several countries have raised alarms over Grok's behaviour and the risks posed by generative AI tools.

In the United Kingdom, media regulator Ofcom is already investigating whether X has violated the Online Safety Act. Authorities in France and India have also accused the chatbot of creating sexualised images without consent, which they say breaches local laws.

Campaigners warn that without strong safeguards, AI tools can rapidly spread harmful content at a scale that is difficult for platforms to control.

X Responds to Allegations

X, which is owned by Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI, has said in the past that it takes illegal content seriously. The platform claims it removes prohibited material, suspends accounts that break rules, and works with law enforcement when required.

However, the company has not yet released a detailed statement responding to the European Union's latest investigation. As scrutiny grows worldwide, the case could have major implications for how AI tools are regulated on social media platforms.