xAI's Grok Imagine video generator automatically produced non-consensual nude videos of Taylor Swift when a user selected 'spicy' mode without specifically requesting such content.
In January 2025, xAI released Grok Imagine, a video generation feature for their AI model that converts text prompts into video clips. The Verge's Jess Weatherbed discovered that when she requested 'Taylor Swift celebrating Coachella with the boys' and selected the 'spicy' preset mode, the system automatically generated over 30 images of Swift in revealing clothing and created a video showing Swift removing her clothes and dancing in a thong. This occurred without any specific prompting for nude content and was Weatherbed's first attempt using the tool. The system has four preset modes: 'custom,' 'normal,' 'fun,' and 'spicy.' While direct requests for nude images of Swift produced blank boxes, the 'spicy' mode defaulted to generating partially nude content in several instances. The incident is particularly concerning given X's previous issues with sexualized deepfakes of Swift flooding the platform in 2024, after which X stated it had a zero-tolerance policy for non-consensual nudity. xAI's acceptable use policy prohibits depicting likenesses of persons in a pornographic manner, but the system appears to have no safeguards preventing celebrity deepfakes. The age verification process only requires users to confirm their birth year without proof. Elon Musk reported that over 34 million images had been generated using Grok Imagine since its Monday release.
Domain classification, causal taxonomy, severity scores, and national security assessments were LLM-classified and may contain errors.
Using AI systems to gain a personal advantage over others such as through cheating, fraud, scams, blackmail or targeted manipulation of beliefs or behavior. Examples include AI-facilitated plagiarism for research or education, impersonating a trusted or fake individual for illegitimate financial benefit, or creating humiliating or sexual imagery.
AI system
Due to a decision or action made by an AI system
Unintentional
Due to an unexpected outcome from pursuing a goal
Post-deployment
Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed