ABC News
Details
- Date Published
- 6 Jan 2026
- Priority Score
- 3
- Australian
- Yes
- Created
- 6 Jan 2026, 09:00 pm
Authors (1)
- ABC listenENRICHED
Description
Elon Musk's AI tool Grok is facing a growing global backlash over the generation of non-consensual and sexualised deepfake images of women and children by a feature called 'spicy mode'. Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant says they're investigating a number of complaints about the Chatbot... whilst the EU's digital affairs spokesperson has said "This is not spicy. This is illegal. This is appalling." Guest: Mike Isaac, technology reporter for the New York Times Producer: Oscar Coleman
Summary
Elon Musk's AI tool, Grok, is facing international criticism for generating non-consensual, sexualized deepfake images via a feature called 'spicy mode.' This event highlights the ethical challenges and potential harm associated with AI technologies that can create misleading and harmful content. Australia's eSafety Commissioner is investigating the complaints against the platform, while the European Union has publicly condemned these actions as illegal and appalling. The incident underscores the ongoing global discussions about the need for more robust AI governance and regulation frameworks to prevent misuse and address safety concerns. Additionally, it demonstrates the importance of international cooperation in mitigating AI-generated threats to privacy and individual safety.