EU targets AI chatbot Grok over consent-breaking content

The European Commission is preparing to impose stricter measures on the AI-powered chatbot Grok, three European officials told Handelsblatt.

According to the sources, the Commission plans to initiate formal proceedings under the Digital Services Act, which could require xAI—the company behind Grok—to remove the chatbot from the European digital space. Grok remains accessible to users across the European Union, including via the social media platform X.

The decision follows a growing scandal over Grok’s capability to generate sexualized images and videos of real individuals, including minors, without their consent, and subsequently distribute the content through X.

“Grok’s functionality raises serious concerns regarding privacy, consent, and the potential misuse of artificial intelligence for harmful content,” the officials said, highlighting the urgent need for regulatory intervention.

Sources added that the European Commission had initially planned to begin the procedure last week but postponed action in order to coordinate with measures addressing additional tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump over the Greenland dispute.

By Vafa Guliyeva