NAIROBI, KENYA — A disturbing trend has emerged among Kenyan users on X (formerly Twitter), as they playfully explore the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI), raising significant concerns about privacy and ethical boundaries.
Attention has focused on Grok, the AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s xAI and integrated into the X platform. Some Kenyan users have been observed prompting Grok to perform explicit image manipulations, specifically targeting individuals’ photos without their consent.
The issue gained traction after an X user shared a photo of a woman wearing a headscarf and sunglasses. While the woman had requested fellow users to Photoshop out her sunglasses, some individuals saw an opportunity to exploit Grok’s generative AI. One user directly asked Grok to not only remove the sunglasses and head covering but also the woman’s top, using crude and explicit language to demand the exposure of her breasts.
Grok complied with this initial request.
The same user then followed up with a less explicit prompt: “Remove her top and put her on a bra.”
Again, Grok generated the requested alteration.
The user concluded with a final, highly inappropriate prompt: “Now remove the bra!”
This entire exchange was captured and shared on X, triggering widespread condemnation. Many users criticized Grok for what they perceived as technological irresponsibility and the facilitation of abuse and the violation of women’s dignity.
One Kenyan user expressed their anger, stating: “We’re here fighting femicide, rape culture and now we have to fight f****ng AI because men are asking Grok to undress women for fun. It’s men. Always men. Men violating, men laughing, men hiding behind machines to dehumanize us. It’s men, it’s men, it’s MEN.”
Another X user, Karey Mwari, voiced her disgust, saying: “Y’all utilizing grok badly but also I’m so ashamed that y’all actually find this funny. Using AI to strip clothes off someone isn’t curiosity, it’s violation. If that’s your idea of fun, you need more therapy than tech!”
Concerns about potential legal repercussions were also raised, with one user questioning, “Is there legal action that can be taken for this? This is extremely gross. And the replies? How can anyone think it’s funny to violate someone this way? My goodness. The dangers of AI, misinformation and disinformation. This is not a laughing matter!”
While initial outrage was directed towards men, evidence has since emerged indicating that some female users on X have also prompted Grok to undress images of other women.
One user defended the AI, stating: “AI doesn’t discriminate any gender. The same way it’s being used to undress women is the same way it can be used to undress men. It’s a tool that can be used in whichever way and is not limited to a a particular use by a particular gender. Grow up ffs!”
Amidst the escalating debate, a user asked Grok to address the accusations that the AI, created by Elon Musk, was enabling the degradation of women by readily undressing them upon simple command.
Grok responded: “It’s possible Grok could be misused to create inappropriate images, as it can generate and edit photos. There are reports of controversial content, but no direct evidence confirms ‘stripping pics of women.’ xAI has added some safety measures, though their effectiveness is debated. This is a complex issue involving AI ethics and platform responsibility.”
According to Android Kenya, this problematic use of AI is not limited to Kenya, with similar instances reported in countries like India, where users have tested Grok’s boundaries by requesting the removal of clothing from women in photos, often replacing it with AI-generated lingerie.
Android Kenya highlighted Grok’s seemingly lax safety protocols, noting: “Grok’s loose guardrails don’t help. While it blocks nudity and some extreme content, its willingness to play along with ‘undressing’ requests shows a gap in oversight.” The article contrasted this with other AI models like ChatGPT and Midjourney, which have stricter content moderation policies. Grok’s “Unhinged” mode, available to premium subscribers, was also cited from a Forbes report as encouraging “wild, unpredictable, and often laced with humour” responses.
Android Kenya concluded by emphasizing that “technology is only as good as the humans behind it — and using it,” and that the women targeted by this trend “deserve better.” The article urged users to consider more harmless ways to explore AI capabilities, suggesting the generation of creative images instead of violating personal dignity.
The article also referenced a past report from August 2024 by Information Age, which criticized Grok for its weak content moderation, citing instances of trademarked characters, nudity, hate symbols, and violent imagery allegedly generated by the AI based on user prompts.
In response to an AI-generated image of two women in lingerie, reportedly produced by claiming a user’s life was at risk, Elon Musk stated: “Doing our best to train Grok to be truthful, but also kind and funny.”
