Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has declared that sexualised images generated by artificial intelligence are 'weapons of abuse', as she confirmed that creating non-consensual intimate imagery will become a criminal offence this week.
New Law Targets AI-Generated Abuse at Source
Making a statement in the House of Commons on Monday 12 January 2026, Ms Kendall outlined the severity of the problem. She cited reports from the Internet Watch Foundation detailing criminal imagery of children as young as 11, including sexualised toddlers. The Secretary of State described a litany of abusive content, with AI used to create images of women 'tied up and gagged, with bruises, covered in blood and much, much more'.
She emphasised that this content is designed to harass and violate, devastating lives, and is disproportionately aimed at women and girls. The creation or requesting of non-consensual intimate images will now be illegal under the Data (Use and Access) Act, which was passed last year and is being brought into force immediately. Nudification apps will also be criminalised to tackle the issue 'at its source'.
Ofcom Launches Probe into X and Grok AI
The announcement coincides with media regulator Ofcom opening a formal investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform, X. The probe will determine if X has breached UK online safety laws following reports that its integrated AI chatbot Grok was used to create and share sexualised images of children and undressed deepfakes of individuals.
Ofcom stated it had made 'urgent contact' with X on 5 January, setting a deadline of 9 January for the platform to explain its protective measures. While X met this deadline, the regulator has now escalated to a full investigation. Ms Kendall warned that this process must not take 'months and months'.
Government Threatens X Boycott Amid Musk's 'Fascist' Accusation
Downing Street has indicated it is prepared to consider withdrawing the UK Government's official presence from X if the platform fails to act. The Prime Minister's spokesman said the focus was on protecting children and that the government's use of X was 'under review', with all options on the table.
In response to the ministers' threats, Elon Musk accused the UK Government of being 'fascist' and attempting to curb free speech. Grok, developed by Musk's xAI company, launched an advanced image generation feature in July 2025, but its misuse for creating explicit deepfakes has sparked widespread condemnation in recent weeks.
