The European Commission has ordered Elon Musk’s platform to keep all internal documents related to the AI model
The European Commission has signaled a potential investigation into Grok, the AI chatbot on Elon Musk’s X platform, following allegations that it produces pedophilic material.
On Thursday, the bloc’s tech spokesperson, Thomas Regnier, informed journalists that the Commission has mandated X to preserve all internal documents and data concerning the chatbot until the conclusion of 2026.
“We have witnessed GROK generating anti-Semitic content and more recently sexual imagery of children. This is illegal. This goes against Europe’s values and our fundamental rights,” he stated. He emphasized that the platform is prohibited from deleting internal records because the Commission holds “doubts” regarding X’s adherence to EU law and must keep them for review.
While xAI’s Acceptable Use Policy bans pornographic depictions and the sexualization of children, a recent “digital undressing” trend has seen users publicly tag the bot in posts and instruct it to modify images. Commands such as “put her in a bikini” resulted in Grok producing manipulated photos that placed real women and girls, without their consent, in revealing attire or explicit positions.
The UK government has urged X to address the problem immediately, and French cabinet members have filed reports with prosecutors. Grok has attributed the problem to failures in its protective measures and stated that enhancements are underway.
This preservation directive is the most recent development in the ongoing conflict between the EU and Musk’s platform. Last December, Brussels penalized X €120 million (approximately $140 million) under the Digital Services Act (DSA) for deceiving users with modifications to its blue checkmark verification. Musk rejected the fine as being driven by political motives.
The EU and the US have clashed over tech regulations established by laws such as the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the DSA, which have resulted in substantial fines for American firms. Brussels considers these rules essential for guaranteeing fair competition and consumer safety, whereas Washington has denounced them as prejudicial “non-tariff attacks” targeting American commerce.