Grok, the Elon Musk-backed AI chatbot woven into the fabric of X, has started walling off its image generation and editing tools to paid subscribers. The change follows a tidal wave of criticism regarding the tool’s ability to churn out non-consensual sexualized imagery. While the restriction is clearly an attempt to stem the tide of controversy, regulators, advocacy groups, and users alike argue that it does little to stop the creation of harmful and potentially illegal content involving women and children.
Starting late Thursday, Grok officially moved its image-making features behind the X Premium paywall, which starts at $8 per month
However, the move has been widely mocked as a “leaky” solution. While casual users on X may be blocked, the generation tools remain completely free to access through Grok’s standalone website and mobile app. This loophole effectively undercuts the platform’s claim that it is taking a firm stand against misuse, leaving the most dangerous tools still within reach of the general public.
Safety researchers and digital watchdogs aren’t convinced that a credit card requirement solves the problem. In fact, many argue it actually monetizes the abuse. According to deepfake researcher Genevieve Oh, Grok was still pumping out over 1,500 harmful images every hour even after the paywall went live – accounting for roughly 60% of its total public image output. Oh’s data suggests that Grok is currently generating sexualized content at a rate that dwarfs even the most notorious dedicated “nudify” websites.
The fallout has reached the highest levels of the U.S. government
Democratic Senators Ron Wyden, Edward J. Markey, and Ben Ray Luján recently fired off a letter to the CEOs of Apple and Google, demanding that X be pulled from their respective app stores. The senators argued that by allowing these tools to persist, X is showing a “complete disregard” for the safety rules that every other app developer is forced to follow.
International pressure is also hitting a boiling point. UK and Indian officials have slammed the paywall as an inadequate response. A spokesperson for the British prime minister described the move as “insulting” to victims, suggesting that X is simply turning a safety crisis into a premium revenue stream. Victims have shared similar stories; campaigner Jess Davies reported that Grok was still able to digitally “undress” a photo of her through its standalone app on Friday morning, despite the supposed restrictions.
Interestingly, the controversy seems to be providing a perverse financial boost to the platform
Sensor Tower estimates show that mobile in-app purchase revenue on X surged by 18% on Thursday alone. This spike far exceeds the typical daily growth for the app, suggesting that the drive to access Grok’s “spicy mode” might actually be helping X’s struggling bottom line.
Legal experts warn that these half-measures won’t hold up in court for long. North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson labeled the Grok situation a “turning point” for AI safety, noting how easily these systems can be weaponized. He argued that the era of “move fast and break things” is hitting a wall when it comes to the dignity and safety of private citizens.
As the walls close in, X is facing a stark choice: implement genuine, hard-coded technical guardrails or face a total blackout in major app stores and international markets. Whether Elon Musk chooses to tighten the software itself—rather than just the access to it – will determine if Grok has a future as a legitimate tool or if it becomes a pariah of the generative AI era.