Downing Street has strongly criticised changes to Elon Musk’s Grok AI, saying the move risks turning the creation of harmful deepfake images into a paid service rather than stopping abuse altogether.

Downing Street has described X’s decision to restrict Grok AI’s image-generation feature to paid subscribers as “insulting to victims of misogyny and sexual violence.”

The prime minister’s official spokesperson said the move effectively amounts to “simply turning an AI feature that allows the creation of unlawful images into a premium service.”

The criticism follows growing concerns that Grok has been used to generate non-consensual, sexualised images, including images of children.

An internet safety organisation said its analysts had confirmed the existence of “criminal imagery of children aged between 11 and 13” that appeared to have been created using the Grok tool.

Image generation limited on X

Under the latest changes, Grok now tells users on X that “image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers.”

However, non-paying users can still edit images using Grok through its separate app and website, raising further concerns among regulators and campaigners.

Ofcom steps in with urgent action

The move came after media regulator Ofcom said it had made “urgent contact” with X over the issue. Downing Street had also threatened to boycott the platform if action was not taken.

Ofcom has since confirmed it is carrying out an “expedited assessment” of the response it received from X and Grok’s creators.

An Ofcom spokesperson said the regulator had set a firm deadline for answers and would provide further updates shortly.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said Ofcom’s next steps should come in “days, not weeks,” stressing that the regulator has the government’s full backing.

She warned that enforcement action could include fines of up to £18 million, and said Ofcom also has powers under the Online Safety Act to block services from operating in the UK.

‘No ifs, no buts,’ says Kendall

Kendall said the government was determined to ensure women and girls are as safe online as they are in the real world.

She added that the government is taking additional action as part of its Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, including plans to ban so-called “nudification” services.

Earlier, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said X’s actions showed it could “move swiftly when it wants to.”

The spokesperson compared the situation to unlawful images displayed in public spaces, warning that any media company would face immediate backlash and enforcement if it failed to act.

Ministers have signalled that Grok could face a ban in the UK altogether if sufficient action is not taken to address deepfake abuse.

All regulatory options remain on the table, with Ofcom receiving full government support to act as it sees fit.

Responding to the prime minister’s comments, US Representative Anna Paulina Luna warned the UK to “reconsider this course of action.”

She claimed that banning X in Britain could lead to sanctions, drawing comparisons with past disputes involving other countries.

Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith rejected the idea of boycotting or banning X, highlighting political divisions over how far the government should go.