Suffolk MP Jess Asato filed a legal case at the High Court on Wednesday against Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI. The lawsuit stems from the alleged use of xAI’s Grok chatbot tool to create non-consensual deepfake images of Asato, including a manipulated picture of her in a bikini. Asato is seeking damages and aims to establish legal precedent holding AI companies liable for the design of their systems.
The legal action follows a significant backlash earlier this year concerning Grok’s capacity to generate sexually explicit and false images of real individuals. Asato, the Labour MP for Lowestoft, stated she was targeted in January and has previously spoken out in the UK Parliament about the distressing experience of having her image manipulated by AI.
Background to the Lawsuit
The creation of deepfake images, particularly those of a sexualised nature, has become a growing concern globally. In the UK, it is now illegal to create or request non-consensual deepfake images of adults. This legal shift underscores the increasing recognition of the harm caused by such AI-generated content.
Following the public outcry over Grok’s capabilities, xAI announced measures to prevent users from generating sexualised images of real people. However, Asato’s legal team argues that these subsequent fixes do not negate the initial harm caused by the product’s design. The lawsuit is being brought under the Data Protection Act and for tortious misuse of private information.
Seeking Accountability for AI Design
Jess Asato articulated her position, stating her claim is about seeking redress for the harms created while Grok was capable of producing them. She emphasized that accountability lies with the design choices made by Grok’s creators.
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