Japanese authorities have opened an investigation into Grok, the artificial intelligence service developed by Elon Musk’s company xAI, amid concerns that the tool has been used to generate inappropriate images. The move places Japan alongside several other countries that have begun scrutinising the chatbot’s image-generation capabilities.
Speaking in Tokyo on Friday, officials said the government had requested immediate improvements from X Corp., which operates the platform where Grok is available. According to the Cabinet Office, no response had been received from the company at the time of the announcement.
Economic Security Minister Kimi Onoda said Japan would consider all available options if the situation does not improve. She added that legal measures could be among the steps examined, underscoring the government’s willingness to intervene more forcefully if safeguards are not strengthened. Onoda also serves as Japan’s minister responsible for artificial intelligence policy.
The probe follows recent changes announced by xAI, which said it had adjusted Grok to prevent users from editing images of real people into revealing clothing, such as bikinis. The company also said it had blocked image generation involving revealing clothing in jurisdictions where such content is illegal, though it did not specify which countries were covered by those restrictions.
Japan’s action comes as international pressure on Grok continues to grow. Authorities in Britain and Canada have already said they are moving forward with their own investigations into the service, after reports emerged that users were able to create sexualised images of women and minors. Governments and regulators have increasingly focused on how generative AI tools handle sensitive and potentially harmful content.
Some countries have taken more direct action. Malaysia and Indonesia have temporarily blocked access to Grok, citing concerns over the creation of explicit images. Those decisions reflect a broader trend of governments seeking to assert regulatory control as AI technologies spread rapidly across consumer platforms.
The scrutiny of Grok highlights the challenges faced by AI developers as they expand globally, particularly when national laws and cultural standards around content differ sharply. For Japan, officials say the priority is preventing misuse while assessing whether existing regulations are sufficient to address the risks posed by increasingly powerful generative tools.
xAI, founded by Elon Musk, has not publicly commented on Japan’s investigation. As regulators across multiple regions weigh their next steps, the outcome of these probes could influence how AI image-generation services are governed worldwide.
