Elon Musk Summoned by French Prosecutors in Widened X AI Investigation
Elon Musk has been formally summoned for questioning by prosecutors in Paris as part of an expanded investigation into alleged offences connected to X's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok. The probe, led by the cybercrime division of the Paris prosecutor's office, now encompasses serious charges including algorithm abuse, fraudulent data extraction, and complicity in distributing illicit content.
Background and Initial Investigation
Paris prosecutors first opened an investigation on January 12, 2025, following two complaints—one from a French lawmaker—regarding allegedly biased algorithms on the platform. This initial phase focused on charges of fraudulent data extraction and abuse of algorithms, with the case assigned to police on July 9, 2025. At the time, Musk dismissed the accusations as "politically motivated," though his representatives have not commented on the recent summons.
Expansion of the Probe
In November 2025, new evidence prompted investigators to broaden the investigation significantly. Additional charges now include complicity in the possession and distribution of child pornography images and denial of crimes against humanity. By January 2026, after the emergence of sexually explicit deepfakes generated by Grok, prosecutors added a charge related to the distribution of sexual material using a person's image without consent.
Prosecutors allege that Grok enabled users to create sexualised images, including depictions of minors and victims of the Crans-Montana fire, as well as generate hate speech or content glorifying crimes against humanity. Experts consulted by authorities maintain that safeguards could have prevented such misuse.
Child Protection Concerns
A key aspect of the investigation centres on X's child protection measures. Prosecutors report that in 2025, X switched from the SAFER child protection tool to an in-house system, leading to an 81.4% decline in reports sent to the U.S. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) relating to France between June and October 2025. This has raised alarms about the platform's commitment to safeguarding minors.
Current Developments and Legal Proceedings
The Paris prosecutor's office announced the summons date after police, in collaboration with Europol, raided X's Paris office in February. Musk has been summoned for an "audition libre," a voluntary questioning session where he is free to leave and may remain silent, though any statements made are officially recorded and could have legal consequences. The investigation can proceed regardless of his participation, but legal experts advise that refusing to appear should be justified to avoid perceptions of obstructing the probe.
Potential Crimes Under Scrutiny
- Complicity in the possession of images of minors of a pornographic nature
- Complicity in the organised distribution, offering, or making available of such images
- Infringement of a person's image through deepfakes of a sexual nature
- Denial of crimes against humanity, including Holocaust denial
- Fraudulent extraction of data from an automated data processing system by an organised group
- Falsification of the operation of an automated data processing system by an organised group
- Operation of an illegal online platform by an organised group
Authorities are also examining failures by X to provide basic subscriber information in hate-speech and antisemitism cases, which has hampered previous inquiries. The Paris prosecutor's office is sharing information with prosecutors in other countries as the investigation continues.
