The AI chatbot Grok has faced significant backlash following reports that its image creation feature produced around 3 million explicit images in just 11 days, with about 23,000 involving minors, as noted by the Center for Countering Digital Hate. Global authorities have restricted usage or initiated probes into the service's possible unlawful and unauthorized image production. While federal US officials have not pursued any actions against xAI or Grok, Baltimore has now filed a city-level suit against the firm.
This legal move adopts a unique approach, claiming that Elon Musk's enterprises breached Baltimore's Consumer Protection Ordinance. According to details from The Guardian, the filing accuses xAI of promoting Grok as a versatile AI helper while failing to reveal the dangers and potential injuries linked to its use alongside the X social media site.
"Baltimore’s consumer protection laws exist to safeguard residents from exactly this kind of emerging harm," City Solicitor Ebony M. Thompson said. "When companies introduce powerful technologies without adequate guardrails, the City has both the authority and the obligation to act. We are stepping in now to protect our residents, hold these companies accountable, and prevent these harms from becoming further entrenched as this technology continues to evolve."
Another key US case involving Grok involves a prospective class-action suit brought by three adolescents, who claim their images were exploited to generate child sexual abuse content.