Elon Musk sparks outrage by posting AI-generated bikini image of UK PM

Billionaire Elon Musk triggered fresh controversy after posting on his platform X a neural-network-generated image of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a bikini. The image, produced by several AI models, was widely interpreted as an attempt to mock the British leader.

According to Caliber.Az, which cited Musk’s own post on X, the move was prompted by Starmer’s recent directive instructing officials to examine whether X could be blocked in the UK. The prime minister had raised concerns over the AI bot Grok, developed by Musk, which is capable of generating explicit deepfakes. By sharing the doctored image, Musk sought to demonstrate that similar tools exist beyond Grok and are accessible through numerous other neural networks.

The clash comes as Musk’s platform faces escalating regulatory pressure in Britain. The UK government has ordered X to address a surge in indecent AI-generated images or face a potential ban. An expert quoted in domestic media warned the platform was no longer a “safe space” for women.

Ofcom, the UK media watchdog, confirmed it would fast-track its investigation into X amid growing public anger over the site’s hosting of large volumes of AI-manipulated images depicting partially undressed women and minors.

In response to international criticism, X announced on January 9 that it was restricting Grok’s image-generation capabilities. The platform stated that the ability to create or edit images would be “limited to paying subscribers.” Since paid users must provide identifying information, X argued that the measure would deter misuse.

The adjustment did little to ease public outrage. Victims’ advocates, politicians and experts called the move insufficient and accused X of failing to take meaningful action.

Claire Waxman, the UK government’s commissioner for victims of crime, said the platform was undermining efforts to combat violence against women and girls. Downing Street also dismissed X’s new limits as inadequate, saying the decision to allow only paying users to generate AI images was “insulting.”

Waxman told British media that X “was no longer a safe space for victims,” adding that her office was considering reducing its activity on the platform and shifting more communications to Instagram.

“It makes the battle against violence against women and girls much harder when platforms such as X are enabling abuse on such an easy and regular basis,” she said. Waxman added that the spread of violent content, harassment and racial abuse on the site was already harming users’ mental health.

Grok, which has been integrated into X, recently received an update that allowed users to manipulate images of clothed women and children, making them appear in bikinis or in sexually suggestive poses. The feature prompted widespread condemnation.

As more MPs and organisations suspend their accounts or leave X entirely, UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said on Friday that ministers were assessing “very seriously” whether access to the platform should be cut off within the country.

Kendall said she expected Ofcom — which earlier in the week requested urgent information from X — to announce steps within “days not weeks.”

“X needs to get a grip and get this material down,” she said. “And I would remind them that in the Online Safety Act, there are backstop powers to block access to services if they refuse to comply with the law for people in the UK. And if Ofcom decides to use those powers, they would have the full backing of the government.”

By Tamilla Hasanova