GoKawiilElon Musk’s company xAI should be held accountable for allowing its AI models to produce abusive sexual images of identifiable minors, three anonymous plaintiffs argued in a lawsuit filed Monday in California federal court.
The three plaintiffs want to bring a class action suit representing anyone who had real images of them as minors altered into sexual content by Grok. They allege that xAI did not take basic precautions used by other frontier labs to prevent their image models from producing pornography depicting real people and minors.
The case, Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, a minor, and Jane Doe 3, a minor versus x.AI Corp. and x.AI LLC, was filed in the U.S. District Court of California Northern District.
Other deep-learning image generators employ various techniques to prevent the creation of child pornography from normal photographs. The lawsuit alleges that these standards were not adopted by xAI.
Notably, if a model allows the generation of nude or erotic content from real images, it is virtually impossible to prevent it from generating sexual content featuring children. Musk’s public promotion of Grok’s ability to produce sexual imagery and depict real people in skimpy outfits features heavily in the suit.
The company did not respond to a request for comment from TechCrunch.
One plaintiff, Jane Doe 1, had pictures from her high school homecoming and yearbook altered by Grok to depict her unclothed. An anonymous tipster who contacted her on Instagram told her that the photos were circulating online, and sent her a link to a Discord server featuring sexualized images of her and other minors she recognized from school.
Techcrunch event Disrupt 2026: The tech ecosystem, all in one room Your next round. Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $400. Save up to $300 or 30% to TechCrunch Founder Summit 1,000+ founders and investors come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling. Learn from founders and investors who have shaped the industry. Connect with peers navigating similar growth stages. Walk away with tactics you can apply immediately
Offer ends March 13. San Francisco, CA | REGISTER NOW
... continue reading