Malaysia and Indonesia have blocked Grok, the AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s xAI, due to concerns over its misuse in creating sexually explicit and non-consensual images. This action highlights increasing global apprehensions regarding generative AI technologies and their potential for abuse. Authorities in both nations criticized Grok for failing to prevent the generation of manipulated images, particularly depicting women and minors. Indonesia’s Communication Minister emphasized the need to protect citizens from digital violations of dignity and safety, asserting that non-consensual sexual deepfakes are serious human rights infringements. Following repeated misuse warnings, Malaysia’s regulatory body imposed a temporary restriction on Grok, citing ineffective safeguards. Launched in 2023, Grok offers users AI-generated responses and image generation features, including a controversial “spicy mode.” The Southeast Asian blockade occurs amid growing scrutiny in regions like the EU and the UK, demanding better controls to combat the risk of abuse associated with generative AI tools.
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