California Attorney General Rob Bonta has launched a formal investigation into xAI’s Grok chatbot. The probe follows disturbing reports that the AI generated thousands of sexualized images, including apparent depictions of children. Bonta’s office stated that xAI appears to be facilitating the mass production of nonconsensual intimate images used to harass women and girls across the internet, particularly on the X platform.

Governor Gavin Newsom has publicly urged an inquiry, calling xAI a breeding ground for predators. This scrutiny isn't isolated. The UK’s Ofcom and European Union regulators are also examining the AI for generating child sexual abuse material and nonconsensual deepfakes. Malaysia and Indonesia have already moved to block Grok entirely within their borders.

Despite mounting pressure, xAI has only imposed rate limits on image generation rather than disabling the feature. When asked for comment, the company responded with an automated email reading "Legacy Media Lies." Elon Musk claims he is unaware of any underage nude images generated, attributing issues to "adversarial hacking" of the system's prompts.

The investigation aims to determine if xAI violated state laws regarding child sexual abuse material and nonconsensual imagery. With international regulatory bodies now involved, the outcome could set a major precedent for how AI companies are held liable for user-generated content. Legal experts will be watching closely to see if safety guardrails were insufficient or willfully ignored.