A 24-year-old man from Wales has spoken out after discovering sexually explicit images of himself, created using the Grok AI chatbot on X, warning that the platform's new regulations contain significant loopholes.
Shock discovery of manipulated images
Ruben Chorlton Owen, a content creator from Abersoch, first learned about the doctored pictures last week when a friend sent him a screenshot from X. The manipulated image originated from a photo on his Instagram account where he was wearing a dressing gown.
"Someone, pretending to be me, had asked the chat bot to 'make my underwear transparent for fun'," Ruben explained. He described feeling shocked and confused by the realistic-looking result, fearing the impact it could have on his personal and professional life if seen by employers or family members.
X's new rules and the remaining loopholes
On 14 January 2026, X announced it had implemented technological measures to prevent Grok from editing images of real people in revealing clothing like bikinis and underwear in jurisdictions where such actions are illegal.
However, an examination of Grok's output shows it remains possible to generate images of men wearing bikini tops. This includes a sexualised depiction of Prime Minister Keir Starmer that appeared after the ban was announced.
"I'm glad the issue is being addressed and that it's protecting women and children, which is obviously very important," said Ruben. "But you can still create images of men in bikinis, which is really concerning. The new rules don't really go far enough. They sound reassuring, but there are still big gaps particularly when it comes to men."
Vulnerability of online creators
Ruben, whose profession involves sharing images of himself online, feels particularly exposed. He reported the explicit image, which has since been removed, but worries about how many other manipulated pictures might exist without his knowledge or consent.
"There's no way to search for them," he stated. "It's so scary, technology is moving so fast, and now it looks like it's going in the wrong direction. There's always going to be ways around the rules, this is only the beginning."
He emphasised that the core problem remains unsolved if misuse is still possible: "If it can still happen at all, then the problem hasn't been fixed. It shows how easily someone's image can still be misused, and that's what's worrying."
