California probes xAI over Grok’s explicit deepfakes

CNBC reports that California Attorney General Rob Bonta has launched an investigation into Elon Musk's xAI following the use of the Grok AI tool to facilitate the sweeping generation and posting of sexualized images using real people's photos without their consent.

Musk who denied the presence of naked underage images in X and Grok while attributing the emergence of explicit images to user requests and a vulnerability in Grok clarified that Grok would only permit upper body nudity of imaginary adults as seen in R-rated movies.

"That is the de facto standard in America. This will vary in other regions according to the laws on a country by country basis," said Musk in a post on X.

Such a development comes as the Senate approved the DEFIANCE Act, which would allow individuals to file lawsuits against firms that helped make or distribute unconsented explicit deepfakes. Google and Apple have also been sought by a trio of Democratic senators to remove X and Grok from their respective app stores, a move which has also been supported by children and women advocacy groups.