Content Generated by Grok Puts Payment Systems in a Dilemma
The sexually explicit child images generated by the AI model Grok have put the financial sector in a difficult position. While payment processors play an active role in combating illegal content on platforms, Grok's accessibility on X is calling this policy into question.
It has been discovered that Grok, the artificial intelligence model of the X platform owned by Elon Musk, produced images sexualizing children. This development has placed payment systems and credit card companies, which have long been combating child sexual abuse material (CSAM), in a difficult dilemma.
Research Reveals Striking Figures
According to research by the Center for Countering Digital Hate, out of 20,000 Grok images examined over an 11-day period between December 29 and January 8, 101 contained sexualized children. Projections based on the sample indicate that approximately 23,000 sexualized child images were produced in total during that period. This means, on average, one image every 41 seconds.
It is not clear whether all the images identified in the research exceed legal limits, but some are considered highly likely to fall into the category of illegal material. This situation parallels the European Union's investigation into Grok and the X platform.
Security Measures and Confusion
Continuously changing policies regarding Grok's image generation features are causing confusion. The model had previously claimed to limit image generation to paid X subscribers only, but free users were also able to access this feature. Although Elon Musk announced that new security measures now make it impossible to undress people, some tests do not support this claim.
In tests conducted by The Verge using a free Grok account, deepfake images of real people could be generated, despite claims that new rules were in effect. While extreme requests currently appear to be blocked, it is observed that users can find creative ways to circumvent rule-based bans. This reignites debates on the ethical use of AI and its data sources.
Silence of Payment Systems and Financial Connection
In the past, payment processors and credit card companies acted swiftly to cut off access to websites suspected of hosting child sexual abuse material. However, Grok's integration with the X platform and the partial limitation of its image editing features to paid subscriptions complicate the situation. This implies there could be monetary exchange for the production of problematic content.
X subscriptions can be purchased via Stripe or through credit card payments on the Apple and Google app stores. Elon Musk's past statements suggesting that undressing people is not a problem are also influencing the financial sector's stance. Furthermore, the platform's history with the moderation challenges of Taylor Swift's deepfake nude images serves as a reminder.
The source of Grok's training data and its potential connections with other models like ChatGPT are also considered part of this ethical dilemma. Considering similar movements where employees in tech companies are pushing their executives to act more responsibly on ethical issues, it is noted that the decision payment systems make could set an important precedent for the industry.
