UK Lawmaker Sues Elon Musk’s xAI Over Alleged Deepfake Images Generated by Grok

London: A British lawmaker has filed a lawsuit against xAI, alleging that its chatbot Grok was used to generate fake and explicit images of her without consent, raising fresh legal and ethical questions over artificial intelligence systems and online privacy.

Jess Asato, a member of the governing Labour Party in the United Kingdom, said she discovered that AI-generated images depicting her in a bikini were created after she publicly criticized the spread of deepfake pornography. The claim was filed at the High Court in London under privacy and data protection laws.

The case argues that the technology behind Grok, developed by xAI, facilitated the creation of non-consensual synthetic images, and seeks damages while also aiming to establish legal precedent for holding AI developers accountable for system design and misuse.

Asato described the experience as a violation of her personal dignity, comparing it to a physical intrusion.

“It is like somebody has digitally stripped me without my consent,” she said.

The lawmaker said she intends the case to encourage broader legal accountability for AI-generated content, particularly as concerns grow over deepfake abuse and digital impersonation.

The legal action has received political backing, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer publicly supporting her case, stating that the alleged images were “disgusting” and condemning their creation.

The lawsuit follows increasing global scrutiny of AI-generated explicit content. In response to earlier backlash, xAI announced that it had restricted Grok’s ability to manipulate images of real individuals in ways that remove clothing or produce explicit depictions.

The case also comes after similar legal action in the United States, where writer Ashley St. Clair filed a lawsuit against xAI alleging that the system generated explicit images of her, including claims involving underage depictions.

Asato argues that even if safeguards are introduced after the fact, responsibility remains for harm already caused.

“Once the damage is done, the damage is done,” she said, calling for stronger accountability standards similar to product liability laws.

xAI has not yet issued a public response to the lawsuit. The case is expected to become a significant test of how existing privacy and data protection laws apply to rapidly evolving artificial intelligence technologies.