Malaysia and Indonesia have blocked access to Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, over concerns that it can be used to create sexually explicit deepfake images.
The AI tool, which operates on Musk’s social media platform X, allows users to generate and edit images. Authorities in both countries said it has been misused to manipulate images of real people, making them appear in revealing outfits without consent.
The Southeast Asian nations said the technology poses serious risks, especially to women and children, and described the content generated as pornographic and harmful. They are the first countries globally to impose a ban on the AI tool.
Malaysia’s Communications and Multimedia Commission said it had earlier issued notices to X after discovering what it described as “repeated misuse” of Grok to create harmful content.
In a statement on Sunday, the regulator said X’s response failed to address the risks built into the platform and focused mainly on reporting procedures.
“Grok will remain blocked until effective safeguards are put in place,” the commission said, while urging the public to report harmful online content.
In Indonesia, the Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs, Meutya Hafid, said the use of Grok to generate sexually explicit images violates basic human rights and online safety.
“Using Grok to produce pornographic and non-consensual images is a violation of human dignity,” Hafid said in a post on Instagram.
The Indonesian government has also asked X to provide clarification on how Grok is being used. The country already bans platforms such as Pornhub and OnlyFans as part of its strict stance against online pornography.
Some Indonesian users have spoken out about their experiences. Kirana Ayuningtyas, a wheelchair user who shares content about her daily life online, said her photo was edited using Grok after a stranger prompted the AI to depict her in a bikini.
“I changed my privacy settings and contacted the platform to remove the image, but unfortunately, none of that really worked,” she said.
She added that asking people to report the image only increased its visibility, making the situation more distressing.
The controversy has also sparked debate in other countries. In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the use of Grok to generate sexualised images as “disgraceful” and “disgusting.”
UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said she would support regulator Ofcom if it decides to block access to X for failing to comply with online safety laws.
“The Online Safety Act gives Ofcom the power to block services that refuse to comply with UK law, and they will have our full support if they use those powers,” Kendall said.
The BBC said it has contacted Grok and X for comments, but no response had been received as of the time of filing this report.
