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AI complaints on Elon Musk-owned X surge in India after Grok Imagine rollout
Government scrutiny intensifies as AI-generated images trigger a spike in user grievances on the platform
User complaints linked to artificial intelligence content on X (formerly Twitter) rose sharply in India following the rollout of Grok Imagine, the image and video generation feature embedded within Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok. Official data shows a sudden emergence of AI-related grievances after months of no recorded complaints in the category.
According to disclosures submitted by X under India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, nearly half of all complaints received by the platform in September 2025 were related to AI-generated content. This marked a significant jump from the previous three months, during which no AI-specific grievances were reported.
The spike coincided with the free global launch of Grok Imagine in mid-August, which allows users to generate images and short videos directly within the platform. Several of these complaints flagged sexually explicit, misleading, or non-consensual imagery, prompting increased regulatory attention.
While X acted on a majority of AI-related complaints in September, the platform’s response rate declined sharply the following month, even as overall grievances rose due to harassment-related reports. By October, AI complaints formed a smaller proportion of total submissions, but concerns around moderation effectiveness persisted.
Indian authorities, through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), issued directives to X seeking the removal of what they described as “vulgar, obscene and unlawful” AI-generated content. The platform was warned of potential legal consequences if compliance was not ensured within the stipulated timelines.
X informed the government that it had begun implementing additional safeguards, including tighter content filters and user restrictions, to curb misuse of AI tools. The company also stated that accounts found generating illegal content would face enforcement action.
Concerns over Grok’s image-generation capabilities have not been limited to India. Independent researchers and digital rights groups have raised alarms globally about AI systems being used to create explicit or manipulated imagery, particularly involving women and minors.
X has reiterated that misuse of Grok violates platform policies and that users generating illegal content will face consequences similar to those applied for uploading unlawful material. However, the episode has reignited debate over the responsibilities of social media platforms as generative AI tools become increasingly accessible to the public.
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