Grok, the Elon Musk-backed AI chatbot included in the structure of The change follows a tidal wave of criticism over the tool’s ability to produce non-consensual sexualized images. While the restriction is clearly an attempt to stem the tide of controversy, regulators, advocacy groups and users alike argue that it does little to prevent the creation of harmful and potentially illegal content involving women and children.
As of late Thursday, Grok has officially moved its image editing features behind the X Premium paywall, which starts at $8 per month
However, the move was widely derided as a “leaky” solution. While casual users of this vulnerability effectively undermine the platform’s claim to take a strong stand against abuse, it leaves the most dangerous tools still available to the general public.
Security researchers and digital watchdogs are not convinced that requiring credit cards will solve the problem. In fact, many argue that this actually monetizes the abuse. According to deepfake researcher Genevieve Oh, even after the paywall went live, Grok continued to pump out over 1,500 malicious images every hour – accounting for about 60% of the total public image output. Oh’s data suggests that Grok is currently generating sexualized content at a rate that puts even the most notorious “nudity” websites to shame.
The impact has reached the highest levels of the US government
Democratic Senators Ron Wyden, Edward J. Markey and Ben Ray Luján recently sent a letter to the CEOs of Apple and Google demanding the removal of X from their respective app stores. The senators argued that X’s continued existence of these tools represented a “total disregard” for the security rules that every other app developer must follow.
International pressure is also reaching a boiling point. British and Indian officials have called the paywall an inadequate response. A spokesman for the British prime minister called the move “insulting” to victims and suggested that X was simply turning a security crisis into a premium revenue stream. Victims have told similar stories; Activist Jess Davies reported that despite the alleged restrictions, Grok was still able to digitally “undress” a photo of her via his standalone app on Friday morning.
Interestingly, the controversy appears to be giving the platform a perverse financial boost
Sensor Tower estimates show mobile in-app purchase revenue on X grew 18% on Thursday alone. This increase far exceeds the app’s typical daily growth, suggesting that the urge to access Grok’s “Spicy Mode” may actually be contributing to X’s struggling bottom line.
Legal experts warn that these half-measures will not hold up long in court. North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson called the Grok situation a “watershed moment” for AI security, noting how easily these systems can be weaponized. He argued that the era of “move fast and break things” is reaching its limits when it comes to the dignity and safety of private citizens.
As the walls close in, X faces a difficult decision: implement real, hard-coded technical guardrails or face a total failure in major app stores and international markets. Whether Elon Musk decides to tighten up the software itself – and not just access to it – will determine whether Grok has a future as a legitimate tool or whether it becomes a pariah of the generative AI era.
