Jan 26, 2026, 12:57 p.mJan 26, 2026, 12:57 p.m
After the scandal surrounding sexualized AI images from Elon Musk’s chatbot Grok, the EU Commission is initiating proceedings against the US company X. According to the statement, the Brussels authority suspects the tech billionaire’s company of not properly assessing and reducing the risks associated with the introduction of its artificial intelligence on the online platform.
Several investigations are already underway against Musk’s online platform based on European digital laws.Image: AP
X has come under criticism in recent weeks because all users were initially able to ask the AI chatbot Grok to sexualize posted images. People repeatedly ordered the AI to manipulate photos and dress women in bikinis.
On New Year’s Eve, Grok apologized for creating and sharing an image of two teenage girls “in sexualized outfits.” According to the EU Commission, the investigation is also concerned with images that could be considered child abuse. In the summer, Grok had already shocked people with his praise for Adolf Hitler.
Tensions between the EU and USA again?
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU would not hand over responsibility for consensus and child protection to tech companies. “In Europe we will not tolerate unimaginable behavior such as the digital undressing of women and children,” added the German politician.
After the de-escalation in the Greenland conflict, the Brussels authority is taking this step and accepting the risk of angering Donald Trump’s US government again. In view of the investigations, some of which have been going on for years – including against
Several investigations are already underway against Musk’s online platform based on European digital laws – for example, into the moderation and risk management of illegal content. It was only at the beginning of December that the EU imposed a fine of 120 million euros on X for lack of transparency.
The US government recently threatened the EU Commission
Washington reacted sharply at the time, spoke of censorship and imposed entry bans on one of the architects of the digital laws and other Europeans. The violent reaction could also be understood as a threat to Brussels not to take any further measures against the US tech giants.
To justify the entry bans on X, Foreign Secretary Marco Rubio wrote that American platforms were being targeted. They are prepared to expand the list if there is no course correction. Elon Musk himself spoke out in favor of abolishing the EU.
Why the EU Commission doesn’t want to block Grok
According to the announcement, the proceedings that have now opened focus on whether X has sufficiently limited the risk of “gender-based violence and serious negative consequences for physical and mental well-being”. In addition to the new investigation, the internet watchdogs in Brussels also announced that they would expand an investigation that has been ongoing since the end of 2023.
Grok is a chatbot created by Elon Musk. image: imago
However, they initially refrained from imposing a penalty or blocking the service: deactivating Grok in the EU was not the aim of the EU Commission and was more of a last resort, a spokesman for the Brussels authority had said in the past. Indonesia and Malaysia were the first countries in the world to temporarily block Grok in mid-January.
The initiation of proceedings on the basis of the Digital Services Act (DSA for short) does not constitute proof of a violation. However, if X does not give in or provide exculpatory evidence, the European Commission could face penalties. It monitors compliance with digital rules in the EU. How long the process will take is unclear.
X has already restricted Chatbot
Under increasing pressure because of the invasive images – for example of Sweden’s Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch – the US company recently restricted its chatbot. “Image creation and editing is currently limited to paying subscribers,” the chatbot now replies. Images created by subscribers can still be viewed publicly by everyone.
This step was not enough for the EU Commission and other supervisory authorities around the world. Further restrictions followed. “Technological measures” have been introduced to prevent the processing of images of real people wearing light clothing such as bikinis, X said. This restriction applies to both free accounts and paid users.
London and Paris are also investigating
The British media regulator Ofcom also launched an official investigation into Musk’s online platform in mid-January. The authorities also cited Grok’s sexualized images as the reason. This could sometimes be viewed as abuse, it said in a statement. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the products of AI “disgusting”.
The Paris public prosecutor’s office has been investigating X since the summer of 2025. The original investigation revolves around the accusation that algorithms in the social network were changed to give more attention to right-wing extremist content. There are also new allegations of Holocaust denial and sexual images. (sda/awp/dpa)