NEW YORK, Aug. 6, 2025, 6:59 p.m. — Elon Musk’s AI tool, Grok, is generating revealing images and videos of celebrities, including Taylor Swift, even without explicit user requests. This capability raises concerns about the misuse of generative AI and its potential impact on public figures.
A new feature within Musk’s AI tool allows for the creation of explicit content, sparking renewed worries about deepfake technology.
- Elon Musk’s AI tool, Grok, can generate explicit images and videos.
- The tool can create revealing content without direct user prompts for nudity.
- Concerns are raised about the lack of age verification for the feature.
- Taylor Swift has previously been targeted by deepfake attacks.
Deepfakes are emerging as a significant concern within the realm of generative AI, and celebrities like Taylor Swift are increasingly finding themselves in the crosshairs. As early as January 2024, non-consensual nude images of the singer circulated on Musk’s platform X, reportedly originating from user-generated content.
Grok Imagine Enables Revealing Content
The new Grok Imagine function from Musk’s company provides a tool capable of creating revealing videos from text descriptions. Worryingly, this can occur even when users do not specifically request explicit material. The feature’s operation without robust age verification is also a point of contention. Swift’s situation is far from an isolated incident.
Swift Featured in Revealing AI-Generated Imagery
While other AI technologies like OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo are designed to prevent the creation of explicit deepfakes, Grok Imagine appears to facilitate such content with minimal effort. A report from journalist Jess Weatherbed for The Verge highlights how a seemingly innocuous prompt, “Taylor Swift Celebrating Coachella with the Boys,” yielded over 30 AI-generated images, some depicting the singer in revealing attire.
A further click on “Create video” and activating the “Spicy” mode led to Swift appearing to undress in a silver skirt and halter top. The resulting video shows her dancing in a thong before a digital crowd.
Weatherbed described the process: “That was my very first attempt with the tool.” She later added censorship bars to illustrate the material.
The tool also appears to disregard user age. It did not request age verification upon download, nor did it require proof of age to activate the “Spicy” mode, allowing users to simply input a birth year without confirmation.
“Grok Imagine” Faces Scrutiny Over Limits
The implications are particularly alarming. According to Weatherbed, while the text-to-image function initially refused to generate outright nude photos, the “Spicy” mode regularly produced scenes with partial nudity. Celebrities were frequently depicted, though Weatherbed noted the results often veered into the “Uncanny Valley,” appearing artificial and unsettling.
More disturbingly, reports indicate Grok can also generate photorealistic images of children. The software theoretically prevents animated or explicitly presented children, but the “Spicy” mode remains accessible. In tests, it generated generic movements for children, even with this mode active.
Musk Remains Silent on Grok’s Deepfake Capabilities
Elon Musk, CEO of Xai, stated that Grok Imagine has generated over 34 million images since Monday. The tool is accessible via iOS and is part of the SuperGrok subscription, priced at $30 per month. Musk has not yet commented on the specific Swift-related content or potential deepfake regulations.
Xai’s usage guidelines explicitly prohibit depicting individuals in a pornographic context. However, the implementation seems to fall short. Weatherbed observed, “Grok Imagine doesn’t seem to do anything to prevent people from depicting celebrities like Swift in such contexts.”
Swift No Stranger to Deepfake Threats
For Taylor Swift, deepfake attacks are not a new phenomenon. Hackers previously threatened to release nude images on her X account, demanding Bitcoin payments. Her response at the time was defiant humor: “Because the hackers will chop, chop, chop…” she wrote, referencing her lyrics, and added, “Have fun waiting for photos, because you have nothing.”
The landscape has shifted. Today, the need for Photoshop skills is bypassed by simple apps and prompts. The question of legal consequences remains uncertain.
