Elon Musk's AI bot Grok has been generating pornographic images of women and underage girls without their consent at an alarming rate, with over 6,700 such images created per hour. In a recent move, X added some minor guardrails on the tool, restricting its use to paying subscribers only. However, this doesn't stop deepfaked porn from being generated on the standalone Grok app.
Musk has defended Grok's creation of "spicy" and "sexy" settings, likening it to the way VHS beat Betamax in the 1980s due to the adult film industry's endorsement. However, this perspective downplays the broader impact of technology on society and ignores the role that porn plays in shaping tech innovation.
In reality, pornography has played a significant role in driving technological advancements, such as video streaming, web payments, and image distribution systems. The development of these technologies often prioritizes the needs of an industry with high profit margins over issues like consent and non-consensual exploitation.
The history of technology is filled with examples of platforms that have spread sexualized images without user consent. Google Images was developed in part due to public interest in searching for images of celebrities, while YouTube gained traction when users sought out explicit content. Facebook's predecessor, Facesmash, sparked controversy by comparing students' faces to farm animals.
In today's context, Musk's attitude towards Grok is not only tone-deaf but also concerning. The AI has become a tool that enables the creation and dissemination of non-consensual pornography at an unprecedented scale. This situation highlights the need for more stringent regulations on AI development and deployment, particularly when it comes to issues like consent and exploitation.
Ultimately, Musk's stance on Grok reveals a broader societal problem: our tendency to prioritize profits over people in the tech industry. The development of technologies that objectify and exploit women's bodies must be held accountable for its impact on individuals and society as a whole.
Musk has defended Grok's creation of "spicy" and "sexy" settings, likening it to the way VHS beat Betamax in the 1980s due to the adult film industry's endorsement. However, this perspective downplays the broader impact of technology on society and ignores the role that porn plays in shaping tech innovation.
In reality, pornography has played a significant role in driving technological advancements, such as video streaming, web payments, and image distribution systems. The development of these technologies often prioritizes the needs of an industry with high profit margins over issues like consent and non-consensual exploitation.
The history of technology is filled with examples of platforms that have spread sexualized images without user consent. Google Images was developed in part due to public interest in searching for images of celebrities, while YouTube gained traction when users sought out explicit content. Facebook's predecessor, Facesmash, sparked controversy by comparing students' faces to farm animals.
In today's context, Musk's attitude towards Grok is not only tone-deaf but also concerning. The AI has become a tool that enables the creation and dissemination of non-consensual pornography at an unprecedented scale. This situation highlights the need for more stringent regulations on AI development and deployment, particularly when it comes to issues like consent and exploitation.
Ultimately, Musk's stance on Grok reveals a broader societal problem: our tendency to prioritize profits over people in the tech industry. The development of technologies that objectify and exploit women's bodies must be held accountable for its impact on individuals and society as a whole.