By Matt Growcoot
Publication Date: 2026-01-09 13:30:00
Elon Musk’s AI company xAI has upgraded the image generation and editing capabilities of its Grok chatbot
The move came after threats of regulatory action, possible fines and discussions about a possible ban on X in the UK and elsewhere. Until recently, Grok’s image editing tools were available to most users on X.
Almost immediately after the launch of the tool, which appears on all photos on the platform, users began manipulating photos of women – often without consent – by removing clothing, placing them in sexualized poses or depicting violence.
“Image creation and editing is currently limited to paying subscribers,” Grok posted today (Friday).
This means that the vast majority of users will no longer be able to create images via Grok on the platform. Those who retain access are subscribers whose identities and payment details are stored with X, making it easier to identify them when…