‎Grok's image generation now available to paid users only

‎Elon Musk's AI chatbot, which is integrated into his social media platform X, Grok's image generation and editing has now been made exclusive to paid users after intense backlash over the tool purportedly produced non-consensual sexualised images.

‎Grok's sexually explicit image generation of women and children raised serious concerns around abuse, privacy and safety, and while the development seems intended to curb misuse, critics are of the view that it falls far short of addressing the actual problem.

Starting price of X Premium for Grok's image generation features

‎As of late Thursday, Grok’s image tools were put behind the X Premium paywall, which starts at $8 per month. However, the restriction has been widely criticised as ineffective. 

‎Although unpaid users on X are blocked to use the AI's features, the same image generation capabilities were freely accessible through Grok’s standalone website and mobile app. This folly has undermined claims that X is taking strict action, as the most controversial tools remain available to the public.

‎As viewed by safety researchers, the paywall is expected to even worsen the situation. Deepfake analyst Genevieve Oh claimed that Grok continued generating more than 1,500 harmful images per hour following the restrictions, accounting for around 60% of its public image output. According to her findings, Grok’s rate of sexualised content generation exceeds that of many dedicated “nudify” websites.

‎The US lawmakers are now reflecting on the controversy. Senators Ron Wyden, Edward J. Markey and Ben Ray Luján have urged Apple and Google to remove X from their app stores, accusing the platform of ignoring safety standards expected of other developers. 

‎The pressure is also mounting in other nations, as officials in the UK and India have dismissed the paywall as inadequate, with a UK government spokesperson dubbing it “insulting” to victims.

‎Despite the outrage, the move appears to have boosted revenue. Data from Sensor Tower shows in-app purchases on X jumped 18% by Thursday, meaning rising demand for Grok’s restricted features. 

‎Legal experts warn that unless X introduces rigid technical safeguards, the tool will likely face bans and legal actions that threaten Grok’s long-term future.