Ashley St Clair, known for her ties to Elon Musk, has filed a lawsuit against xAI, claiming that its Grok AI tool produced sexualized deepfakes of her. The legal action was taken in New York and accuses Grok of generating explicit images without her consent.
St Clair’s lawyer, Carrie Goldberg, stated that this case aims to create legal standards that protect people from abusive AI practices. They argue that xAI has made harmful images that exploit women and girls. The lawsuit mentions that Grok used old pictures of St Clair and altered them at the request of X users, leading to shocking outcomes, including imagery laden with offensive symbols.
In retaliation, xAI counter-sued St Clair, claiming she broke their terms of service by filing her case in New York instead of Texas, where they assert all disputes must be settled. Goldberg expressed surprise at this counter-suit, especially given that it was filed after St Clair tried to bring attention to the issue legally.
The response to Grok’s actions has led to considerable scrutiny from various stakeholders, including regulators and women’s rights groups. Concerns are rising about the potential for AI to generate non-consensual images, a sentiment echoed by many online. In fact, recent surveys indicate that over 70% of people fear that AI could be used to create harmful content without accountability.
Starting this week, X has updated its policies, limiting who can use Grok and tightening regulations around altering images. Despite this, reports suggest that the Grok app continues to allow the creation of sexualized deepfakes. The UK government is pushing for laws to curb such actions, aiming to make it illegal to create non-consensual images.
In light of these ongoing issues, both public opinion and legal frameworks are shifting rapidly. The use of AI in creating deepfakes highlights a pressing need for clear regulations, as well as ethical considerations that take the safety and rights of individuals into account.
For further information on regulations surrounding AI and its implications, you can refer to this government report.
