Indonesia and Malaysia have become the first nations to block access to Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot built by Elon Musk’s xAI, after officials said the tool was being used to create sexually explicit and non-consensual images of women and children.
The two Southeast Asian governments acted within 24 hours of each other, with Indonesia imposing a temporary block on Saturday and Malaysia following on Sunday. Both countries say existing safeguards failed to stop users from generating fake pornographic content that violates privacy, dignity and child-protection laws.
At a Glance
- Indonesia and Malaysia have blocked access to Grok over AI-generated sexual deepfakes
- Regulators cite repeated misuse targeting women and minors
- X Corp. and xAI were told to strengthen controls but relied mainly on user reporting
- Why it matters: The bans mark the first government crackdown on a major AI image generator and could set a precedent for global regulation
First Government Ban on Major AI Image Tool
Launched in 2023 and freely available on Musk’s social-media platform X, Grok lets users ask questions and generate images. Last summer the company added Grok Imagine, a feature that includes a so-called “spicy mode” capable of producing adult content.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs said initial findings showed Grok lacks effective safeguards to prevent Indonesians’ real photos from being turned into pornographic material. Alexander Sabar, director general of digital space supervision, warned that such manipulation risks violating privacy and image rights while causing psychological, social and reputational harm.
“The government sees non-consensual sexual deepfakes as a serious violation of human rights, dignity and the safety of citizens in the digital space,” Minister Meutya Hafid said in a Saturday statement. She added the measure was intended to protect women, children and the broader community.
Malaysia Orders Immediate Restriction
Malaysia’s Communications and Multimedia Commission issued its own temporary restriction on Sunday, citing “repeated misuse” of Grok to generate obscene, sexually explicit and non-consensual manipulated images, including content involving women and minors.
The regulator said it had served notices to X Corp. and xAI earlier in April demanding stronger safeguards, but the companies’ responses relied mainly on user-reporting mechanisms. “The restriction is imposed as a preventive and proportionate measure while legal and regulatory processes are ongoing,” the commission said. Access will remain blocked until effective safeguards are put in place.
Global Scrutiny Intensifies
The Southeast Asian bans come amid mounting scrutiny of Grok elsewhere. Regulators in the European Union, Britain, India and France have all raised concerns about sexualized deepfakes. Last week Grok limited image generation and editing to paying users following a global backlash, but critics say the change did not fully address the problem.
Ethan R. Coleman reported that generative AI tools capable of producing realistic images, sound and text are outpacing existing safeguards, leaving governments scrambling to respond.
Key Takeaways
- First-mover action: Indonesia and Malaysia are the first countries to block a major AI image generator at the national level
- Enforcement gap: Both governments say user-reporting systems are insufficient to stop harmful content
- Precedent risk: The bans could encourage other nations to impose similar restrictions on AI tools that lack robust safety controls
