X, by Elon Musk, is the target of investigation in the EU for sexualized images made with AI

LONDON — European Union regulators on Monday announced an investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X, after authorities said the company failed to prevent the spread of sexualized images generated by artificial intelligence.

The investigation is expected to intensify the confrontation between Europe and the United States over the regulation of online content. Musk and his allies in the Trump administration have sharply criticized European Union internet rules, saying they represent an attack on free speech and American businesses.

European authorities said X is being investigated for possible violation of the Digital Services Act, alleging that the company did not adequately address the “systemic risks” of integrating AI chatbot Grok into its service. Starting in late December, sexually explicit images generated by Grok, including of children, flooded the platform, drawing worldwide criticism from victims and regulators.

Musk was already facing increasing scrutiny in Europe even before the latest Grok controversy. Last month,

European authorities are conducting yet another investigation into X’s recommendation algorithm and its policies to prevent the spread of illicit content.

“Non-consensual sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent and unacceptable form of degradation,” Henna Virkkunen, executive vice-president of the European Commission responsible for enforcing the Digital Services Act, said in a statement. “We will determine whether X fulfilled its legal obligations under the DSA or whether it treated the rights of European citizens — including those of women and children — as collateral damage to its service.”

The European Commission, the executive body of the 27-nation European Union, did not provide a timeframe for the investigation, but said it has the authority to order X to make changes during the process, in the “absence of significant adjustments” to the service.

An X spokesperson referred to a previous company statement about Grok. “We remain committed to making X a safe platform for everyone and maintain zero tolerance for any form of child sexual exploitation, non-consensual nudity and unwanted sexual content,” the note said.

The new investigation illustrates a growing divide between the European Union and the United States over freedom of expression and internet regulation. European authorities argue that the lack of safeguards on platforms like X has allowed hate speech, misogyny and violent content to flourish online. Musk and the Trump administration say efforts to require companies to more proactively police services amount to censorship.

The Digital Services Act, passed in 2022, requires companies to significantly address the spread of illegal content, the definition of which varies from country to country in the European Union. This may include material that targets individuals based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality or religion.

European regulators said the integration of Grok into X exposed “citizens in the EU to serious harm.” British authorities are also investigating the case.

The problems started last month. In response to simple commands from users on

As criticism grew, X restricted Grok’s AI image creation to users who pay for premium features, which reduced the number of images. X later expanded these barriers, stating that it would no longer allow anyone to ask Grok’s X profile for “images of real people in revealing clothing, such as bikinis.”

European Union regulators said they would take X’s policy changes into account during the investigation.