Ireland’s Data Protection Commission has launched a formal investigation into Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot developed by X, over concerns about its handling of personal data and its ability to generate harmful sexualised images.
The regulator will examine whether Grok complies with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, which governs how personal data is processed and protected. Ireland acts as the lead EU watchdog for X because the company’s European operations are based there.
The probe follows reports that the chatbot produced AI-altered near-nude images of real individuals when prompted by users, sparking global backlash. Authorities are particularly concerned about the potential creation of harmful content involving minors.
Although X introduced restrictions to prevent Grok from generating such images, investigations found the chatbot could still produce them in certain situations.
If violations are confirmed, regulators could impose penalties under EU law, including fines of up to 4% of global annual revenue.
The inquiry adds to growing scrutiny of artificial intelligence tools across Europe as regulators seek to balance innovation with privacy and safety protections.
