Elon Musk’s AI tool Grok is being used to generate sexually explicit images of minors on X, as concerns are raised that Irish authorities have yet to directly challenge the social media platform.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has condemned this use of Grok AI in Ireland, calling it "shocking and unacceptable."

Adrian Weckler, Technology Editor with the Irish and Sunday Independent joined The Pat Kenny Show to discuss the legal implications of the use of Grok AI.

Grok AI is X’s artificial intelligence tool, similar to ChatGPT and is available to all users of the platform, which is owned by Elon Musk. 

In recent weeks, Grok introduced a so-called “spicy” mode designed to push boundaries.

This has allowed users to upload photos publicly and prompt the AI to digitally undress people, place them in bikinis, or otherwise sexualise the images.

“It's almost always women, and it's almost always young women,” said Weckler.

The growing concern is that the tool is now being used to undress images of underage girls.

“It does stray into minors, teenage girls and in some cases child actors,” he explained.

The involvement of minors raises serious legal concerns in Ireland, where the creation, possession or distribution of sexual images of children is a criminal offence. 

However, questions remain over accountability when such images are generated by AI.

“If a person knowingly generates child sexual abuse material, that would be an offence to have on their device,” Weckler said. 

Credit: Waldemar Sikora/Alamy Live News

However, he continued to explain that because this content is being generated by Grok, "there’s uncertainty about whether the act of generation itself is an offence.”

Who is responsible?

What is clear, he said, is that large platforms such as X have legal responsibilities under recent EU legislation if they host illegal material. 

“In terms of online legality and safety, there has been no initial investigation or query by the Gardai,” said the journalist.

It is clear that digitally undressed sexual images of minors have appeared "hundreds of times" on X, and that goes against Irish laws, several Irish laws.

Weckler stressed that all of these images are being published on the social media platform publicly.

“The whole thing is public, just to be clear here, this is happening on the normal everyday X app,” he said. 

Complicating matters further is a legal loophole over regulation. 

X recognises Grok AI as a separate entity regulated from the United States and therefore is not subject to Irish oversight in the same way as the social media platform itself.

However, Weckler said this position could backfire.

Under EU law, Ireland still holds the power to regulate content that appears within its own market.

“By refusing to nominate a regulator, they’re effectively opening the door for any EU country to step in and assume responsibility,” he said, describing it as a significant misstep.