UK to bring into force law to tackle Grok AI deepfakes this week

The UK will carry into power a legislation which is able to make it unlawful to create non-consensual intimate photos, following widespread considerations over Elon Musk’s Grok AI chatbot.

The Know-how Secretary Liz Kendall mentioned the federal government would additionally search to make it unlawful for firms to provide the instruments designed to create such photos.

Talking to the Commons, Kendall mentioned AI-generated footage of girls and youngsters in states of undress, created with no particular person’s consent, weren’t “innocent photos” however “weapons of abuse”.

The BBC has approached X for remark. It beforehand mentioned: “Anybody utilizing or prompting Grok to make unlawful content material will endure the identical penalties as in the event that they add unlawful content material.”.

It comes hours after Ofcom announced it was launching an investigation into X over “deeply regarding experiences” about Grok altering photos of individuals.

If discovered to have damaged the legislation, Ofcom can doubtlessly concern X with a tremendous of as much as 10% of its worldwide income or £18 million, whichever is bigger.

And if X doesn’t comply, Ofcom can search a court docket order to power web service suppliers to dam entry to the location within the UK altogether.

In a press release, Kendall urged the regulator to not take “months and months” to conclude its investigation, and demanded it set out a timeline “as quickly as attainable”.

It’s at present unlawful to share deepfakes of adults within the UK, however laws within the Knowledge (Use and Entry) Act which might make it a legal offence to create or request them has not been enforced till now, regardless of passing in June 2025.

Final week, campaigners accused the government of dragging its heels on implementing that legislation.

Along with the Knowledge Act, Kendall mentioned she would additionally make it a “precedence offence” within the On-line Security Act.

“The content material which has circulated on X is vile. It is not simply an affront to first rate society, it’s unlawful,” she mentioned.

“Let me be crystal clear – underneath the On-line Security Act, sharing intimate photos of individuals with out their consent, or threatening to share them, together with footage of individuals of their underwear, is a legal offence for people and for platforms.

“This implies people are committing a legal offence in the event that they create or search to create such content material together with on X, and anybody who does this could count on to face the complete extent of the legislation.”

However the know-how secretary mentioned the “tasks don’t simply lie with people for their very own behaviour” – and “the platforms that host such materials have to be held accountable, together with X”.

She mentioned the federal government would additionally construct on measures outlined within the Crime and Policing Invoice to criminalise nudification apps.

“This new legal offence will make it unlawful for firms to provide instruments designed to create non-consensual intimate photos, concentrating on the issue at its supply,” she mentioned.

“Along with all of those actions, we count on know-how firms to introduce the steps beneficial by Ofcom’s steering on the best way to make platforms safer for ladies and women immediately.

“If they don’t, I’m ready to go additional.”

In a response to an earlier put up questioning why different AI platforms weren’t being checked out, Elon Musk mentioned the UK authorities needed “any excuse for censorship”.

However Kendall refuted this.

“This isn’t, as some would declare, about limiting freedom of speech,” she mentioned.

“It’s about tackling violence towards ladies and women.”

Ofcom’s investigation will look at whether or not X has did not take down unlawful content material rapidly when it grew to become conscious of it, and brought “applicable steps” to forestall folks within the UK from seeing it.

It should additionally test whether or not X has used “extremely efficient age assurance” measures to cease kids from seeing pornographic photos.

The choice follows international backlash over Grok’s picture creation function, with each Malaysia and Indonesia briefly blocking entry to the software over the weekend.

An Ofcom spokesperson didn’t give a sign on how lengthy the investigation would take however mentioned it will be a “matter of the best precedence”.

“Platforms should shield folks within the UK from content material that is unlawful within the UK,” they mentioned.

“We cannot hesitate to research the place we suspect firms are failing of their duties, particularly the place there is a danger of hurt to kids.”