Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has issued a defiant warning to Elon Musk, vowing his government will not retreat in a confrontation over the social media platform X's artificial intelligence tool. The dispute centres on the AI system, named Grok, and its ability to generate sexualised images, including depictions of women and children.
Ultimatum Issued Over 'Disgraceful' AI Content
During Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday 14 January 2026, Starmer labelled the situation "disgraceful" and confirmed he had delivered an ultimatum to the tech billionaire. The core demand is for X to effectively clamp down on Grok's capacity to produce such harmful material. Starmer stated unequivocally that "we are not going to back down" in ensuring the platform takes responsibility.
The Prime Minister did welcome recent reports indicating that Grok has now been barred from creating these explicit images, even for its paying subscribers. However, he stressed that this was not the end of the matter. He emphasised that X "must act" on any unlawful images already in circulation, warning that profiting from such harm means forfeiting the right to self-regulation.
Ofcom Launches Legal Probe
The government's stance is backed by the UK's media regulator. Ofcom has officially launched an investigation to determine whether X, under Elon Musk's ownership, has breached British law concerning the AI tool's outputs. This legal scrutiny places significant pressure on the platform to demonstrate compliance.
The controversy was ignited after X initially faced severe criticism for its response. Rather than completely removing the ability to create sexualised imagery of women and children, the platform had only limited the function to its premium, paying users. This approach was widely condemned as inadequate and putting profit before safety.
Threat of 'Fast Action' from Westminster
Sir Keir Starmer has made clear the consequences of inaction. He has threatened "fast action" from the government if X cannot control the abuses of its Grok AI system. While the specific measures were not detailed, the language suggests potential regulatory or legislative steps aimed at forcing compliance with UK standards.
This confrontation marks a significant moment in the UK's approach to regulating powerful and rapidly evolving AI technologies, particularly when hosted on global platforms resistant to external oversight. The Prime Minister's pledge to stand up to one of the world's most influential tech figures signals a hardening of the government's position on digital safety and corporate accountability.
