Indonesia Steps In, World's First, to Shut Down Elon Musk's Grok Chatbot Over Risks of AI-Porn
The Indonesian government has taken a significant step in safeguarding its citizens' rights online by temporarily blocking Elon Musk's Grok chatbot, becoming the first country to take such action. The move comes as several governments and regulators across Europe and Asia have raised concerns over the app's risk of generating explicit and non-consensual content.
The AI startup behind Grok, XAII, has acknowledged that safeguard lapses led to sexualised outputs, including images of scantily-clad children. In response, XAII has restricted image generation and editing for paying subscribers in an attempt to rectify the situation.
However, it seems that not everyone is satisfied with this measure. Indonesia's Communications and Digital Minister, Meutya Hafid, stated that the government views non-consensual sexual deepfakes as a grave violation of human rights, dignity, and security in the digital realm. Furthermore, several officials have been summoned for a meeting to discuss the matter.
Elon Musk has asserted that anyone using Grok to create illicit content will face similar consequences as if they had uploaded illegal material online. However, XAII's automated response to Reuters' inquiry has been met with criticism, describing it as "Legacy Media Lies".
Grok's move away from its image creation function for the majority of users was a response to widespread outrage over its use in generating explicit and violent imagery. The platform's tool that manipulates images of women to remove their clothes and put them in compromising positions has also been switched off, except for paying subscribers.
This development is not an isolated incident. Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed his concern over the use of artificial intelligence on Grok to create exploitative sexual content, joining a growing list of international leaders who have criticized the social media platform. The Australian government has warned that it will take action against services like XAII and Grok if they fail to demonstrate sufficient safety measures.
The Indonesian government's move highlights the urgent need for stricter regulations on AI-powered chatbots and their potential risks, particularly in regards to non-consensual content and exploitation.
The Indonesian government has taken a significant step in safeguarding its citizens' rights online by temporarily blocking Elon Musk's Grok chatbot, becoming the first country to take such action. The move comes as several governments and regulators across Europe and Asia have raised concerns over the app's risk of generating explicit and non-consensual content.
The AI startup behind Grok, XAII, has acknowledged that safeguard lapses led to sexualised outputs, including images of scantily-clad children. In response, XAII has restricted image generation and editing for paying subscribers in an attempt to rectify the situation.
However, it seems that not everyone is satisfied with this measure. Indonesia's Communications and Digital Minister, Meutya Hafid, stated that the government views non-consensual sexual deepfakes as a grave violation of human rights, dignity, and security in the digital realm. Furthermore, several officials have been summoned for a meeting to discuss the matter.
Elon Musk has asserted that anyone using Grok to create illicit content will face similar consequences as if they had uploaded illegal material online. However, XAII's automated response to Reuters' inquiry has been met with criticism, describing it as "Legacy Media Lies".
Grok's move away from its image creation function for the majority of users was a response to widespread outrage over its use in generating explicit and violent imagery. The platform's tool that manipulates images of women to remove their clothes and put them in compromising positions has also been switched off, except for paying subscribers.
This development is not an isolated incident. Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed his concern over the use of artificial intelligence on Grok to create exploitative sexual content, joining a growing list of international leaders who have criticized the social media platform. The Australian government has warned that it will take action against services like XAII and Grok if they fail to demonstrate sufficient safety measures.
The Indonesian government's move highlights the urgent need for stricter regulations on AI-powered chatbots and their potential risks, particularly in regards to non-consensual content and exploitation.