The European Commission has launched a formal investigation into Elon Musk-owned X to determine whether its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, violated European Union rules by spreading illegal content, including sexualised and manipulated images of women and minors. The Commission said it would examine whether X adequately assessed and reduced the risks linked to Grok’s features when the tool was introduced across the EU’s 27 member states.
Announcing the probe, EU technology chief Henna Virkkunen strongly condemned the type of content at the centre of the investigation. She said that non-consensual sexual deepfakes involving women and children represent a serious and unacceptable form of abuse and degradation, underscoring the need for strict enforcement of digital safety rules.
X responded by pointing to a statement issued on January 14, in which it said its AI company, xAI, had taken steps to restrict Grok’s image-editing capabilities. The company said it had also blocked users in certain regions from generating images of people in revealing clothing where such content is illegal, though it did not specify which countries were affected by these restrictions.
The investigation is being carried out under the Digital Services Act, a sweeping EU law that places greater responsibility on large technology platforms to prevent the spread of illegal and harmful online content. The Commission’s move followed reports that Grok had generated sexualised images of women and minors, prompting alarm among regulators worldwide. Under the DSA, companies found to be in breach of the rules can face fines of up to 6 percent of their global annual turnover.
While EU officials acknowledged that xAI’s recent changes were a step in the right direction, they said the measures did not fully address the broader risks posed by the system. A senior Commission official told reporters that there were grounds to believe X failed to conduct a proper, case-specific risk assessment when Grok’s functions were rolled out in Europe.
The investigation could further strain relations between the EU and the administration of US President Donald Trump, as Brussels’ increasing scrutiny of major technology companies has already drawn criticism from Washington and sparked warnings about potential retaliatory tariffs.
Virkkunen said the purpose of the probe was to establish whether X had fulfilled its legal obligations under the Digital Services Act or whether it had compromised the rights of European citizens, particularly women and children, in the operation of its service.
Earlier this month, the Commission described the circulation of AI-generated images of undressed women and children on X as unlawful and deeply disturbing, echoing condemnation from regulators and governments around the world.
In addition to the Grok-related inquiry, EU regulators have expanded an earlier investigation into X that began in December 2023. That probe is examining whether the platform has adequately identified and mitigated systemic risks linked to its recommendation algorithms, including the impact of its shift toward a Grok-based recommendation system. Officials warned that X could face interim enforcement measures if meaningful changes are not made.
X has already faced penalties under the Digital Services Act. In December, the company was fined 150 million euros for failing to meet transparency requirements. Separately, the United Kingdom’s media regulator, Ofcom, has launched its own investigation into whether X is complying with obligations under the UK’s Online Safety Act, adding to the mounting regulatory pressure on the platform.
