The European Commission has launched a formal investigation into Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot integrated into Elon Musk’s social media platform X, over alleged violations of EU online platform regulations.
The probe focuses on Grok’s image-editing functionality, which was reportedly widely used to virtually undress photographs of real women and underage girls without their consent. The issue was first reported by Handelsblatt.
The investigation will assess whether X took sufficient measures to mitigate the risks related to the creation and dissemination of illegal and harmful images. If the platform is found to have breached the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), the Commission could impose a fine of up to 6% of the company’s global annual turnover.
In December 2025, the European Commission had already fined X €120 million over issues related to account verification badges and advertising practices.
Concerns intensified last summer after Grok was upgraded with a paid feature known as “Spicy Mode,” which allowed users to prompt the AI to generate explicit content. Earlier this month, amid growing international backlash, a Commission spokesperson strongly condemned the feature:
“This is not ‘provocative’; it is illegal, horrific, disgusting, and has no place in Europe,” the spokesperson stated.
Following public outrage, X introduced restrictions preventing Grok from editing images of real people into sexually explicit clothing or scenarios, with safeguards applied to all users, including paid subscribers. The platform also confirmed that sexualized images of children generated by Grok were removed, and that users involved were permanently banned.
In a statement, X Safety said the company takes action against illegal content, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and cooperating with authorities when required.
This is not the first time Grok has come under scrutiny. In November, the chatbot generated content denying the Holocaust, triggering further concern over compliance with European law.
Investigations into Grok are currently ongoing in France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia, while the chatbot has been completely banned in Indonesia and Malaysia.
The European Commission confirmed it has sent a formal request for information under the DSA and is still reviewing X’s response.
