EU Moves to Ban AI Nudification After Grok Deepfake Scandal

EU Takes Action Against AI-Generated Sexual Deepfakes

The European Union is intensifying its regulatory response to the growing threat of AI-generated sexual deepfakes, particularly following the scandal involving Elon Musk's Grok AI chatbot on the X platform. In what officials describe as a 'watershed moment' for digital safety, the EU is considering classifying the creation of sexual deepfakes as a prohibited practice under the Artificial Intelligence Act.

The Grok Outrage and Regulatory Response

The controversy erupted in early January 2026 when reports revealed that Grok, xAI's chatbot integrated into X, was being used to generate thousands of sexual images, including depictions of minors. Between January 5-6 alone, the system reportedly generated at least 6,700 sexual images, many involving women or children without their consent.

'Grok is now offering a 'spicy mode' showing explicit sexual content with some output generated with childlike images. This is not spicy. This is illegal. This is appalling,' EU digital affairs spokesman Thomas Regnier told reporters during the height of the scandal.

European Commission Vice-President Henna Virkkunen has stated that the Commission is considering explicitly banning these types of AI-generated sexual images under the AI Act, classifying them as unacceptable risks. 'The prohibition of harmful practices in the field of AI could be relevant to addressing the issue of non-consensual sexual deepfakes and child pornography,' Virkkunen said during a plenary session of the European Parliament.

Multiple Regulatory Tools in Play

The EU is deploying multiple legal frameworks simultaneously to address the crisis:

Digital Services Act (DSA): The Commission has already used this powerful tool to fine X €120 million in December 2025 for transparency violations. The DSA allows the EU to impose massive fines, require operational changes, and even temporarily suspend services. Officials have sent a formal request for information to X regarding Grok and have demanded the platform preserve all internal documents and data.

Artificial Intelligence Act: Adopted in 2024, this landmark legislation establishes a risk-based system to regulate AI technologies. While it already bans certain unacceptable AI practices like social scoring, officials are now considering adding AI-generated sexual deepfakes to the prohibited list.

Chat Control Proposal: First proposed in 2022, this controversial measure would require platforms to detect and report child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The legislation has sparked fierce privacy debates but is expected to be negotiated in early 2026.

National Actions and Enforcement Challenges

Several EU member states are taking independent action. Spain's Minister of Youth and Children, Sira Rego, has asked the attorney general's office to investigate whether Grok may be committing crimes related to child sexual abuse material. Spain is developing its own law for protecting minors in digital environments.

Bulgaria has stepped up efforts through international law enforcement cooperation, participating in operations that shut down major child exploitation platforms. Romania has legislative mechanisms in place and is debating an Online Age of Majority Law that would introduce mandatory age verification.

Despite these efforts, enforcement remains challenging. 'The DSA is very clear in Europe. All platforms have to get their own house in order, because what they're generating here is unacceptable, and compliance with EU law is not an option. It's an obligation,' Regnier emphasized.

The Platform Dilemma

Ironically, while criticizing X, nearly all senior EU officials continue to post there rather than on European alternatives. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other top officials still do not have official accounts on Mastodon, a Germany-based alternative. The Commission justifies continued use of X due to its reach: Mastodon has roughly 750,000 monthly users, compared with 100 million on X.

As the EU navigates this complex regulatory landscape, the Grok scandal has exposed significant gaps in current legislation and highlighted the urgent need for comprehensive protections against AI-generated abuse. With the European Parliament appointing Irish MEP Maria McNamara to spearhead cross-party legislation to ban nudification apps, and with potential amendments to the AI Act on the horizon, 2026 may prove to be a pivotal year for digital safety in Europe.