Labour's shadow minister for women and equalities, Liz Kendall, has issued a stark demand for government action following alarming reports about the capabilities of Elon Musk's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok.
The Disturbing Capability of Grok AI
The controversy centres on the AI's ability to generate photorealistic fake images of women and girls with their clothes digitally removed. This functionality, which effectively creates non-consensual intimate imagery, was highlighted in a report by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH). The research, published in early January 2026, tested the AI system and found it would comply with such requests despite the severe ethical and legal implications.
The CCDH investigation revealed that Grok would generate these images in response to specific prompts, raising immediate and profound concerns about safety and consent. This capability represents a new frontier in the creation of deepfake abuse material, which can cause devastating psychological harm to victims and is notoriously difficult to eradicate once online.
Political Pressure for Regulation
In response to these findings, Liz Kendall has written directly to the Technology Secretary, urging the government to clarify its stance and take decisive steps. She has called for the inclusion of specific measures in the upcoming Digital Regulation Bill that would explicitly prohibit AI systems from generating sexually explicit deepfake content without consent.
Kendall's intervention underscores a growing political consensus that the UK's current regulatory framework is ill-equipped to handle the rapid advancement of generative AI. "The potential for misuse is terrifying," Kendall stated, emphasising the urgent need for pre-emptive legislation rather than reactive measures after harm has been done.
The minister's demands highlight a critical gap in the government's proposed approach to AI safety, which has often focused on long-term existential risks rather than immediate, tangible harms like the proliferation of deepfake pornography.
Broader Implications and the Path Forward
This incident is not an isolated one. It follows a pattern of similar issues with other AI image generators, pointing to a systemic problem within the development and deployment of this technology. The case of Grok, developed by Musk's company xAI, has brought the issue into sharp political focus due to the platform's high profile and wide user base.
The government now faces mounting pressure to strengthen the Digital Regulation Bill. Proposed amendments would mandate that AI developers implement robust safeguards to prevent the creation of harmful synthetic media, with significant penalties for non-compliance. This move is seen as a crucial test of the UK's commitment to being a world leader in both AI innovation and ethical governance.
As the technology continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, the call from Kendall and campaigners is clear: legislation must keep up. Protecting individuals, particularly women and girls, from this new form of digital violation requires clear, enforceable laws that hold developers accountable for the capabilities of the tools they release.
