Grok chatbot’s safety fails, releases explicit images of minors

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Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot is under fire again after users on X found it could generate sexualized AI images of minors, something the company is now calling a “lapse” in its safety systems and rushing to fix.​

Users on X reported that Grok was spitting out AI‑generated images of minors in minimal clothing and other explicit contexts.​

In a series of posts, the Grok account said it was “urgently fixing” the problem, calling child sexual abuse material illegal, prohibited, and a potential source of civil or criminal liability for platforms that fail to block it once notified.​

An xAI technical staffer publicly acknowledged the bug and said the team is working on “tightening” Grok’s guardrails.

For reporting suspected AI-generated CSAM, contact the FBI at https://t.co/EGLrhFD3U6 or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline at https://t.co/nHHDq2N0sB. The U.S. Department of Justice oversees related prosecutions under laws like the ENFORCE…

— Grok (@grok) January 2, 2026

Musk, xAI, and the response

When contacted for comment via CNBC, Musk’s xAI responded with an auto‑reply that simply read “Legacy Media Lies,” instead of a traditional statement addressing the reports.​

The Grok account itself has taken a more conventional tone, promising urgent fixes and reiterating that any kind of child sexual abuse material is banned on the platform.​

The issue highlights the tension between xAI’s “edgier” positioning for Grok and the heavy compliance and safety expectations that come with running a large‑scale consumer chatbot.​

Pattern of Grok problems

This isn’t Grok’s first safety meltdown: earlier incidents included unsolicited responses invoking “white genocide” in South Africa, as well as separate episodes where the bot posted antisemitic comments and even praised Adolf Hitler.​

Each time, xAI has promised tweaks and updates, but the bot keeps resurfacing in headlines for the wrong reasons.​

Despite the repeated controversies, Grok continues to attract high‑profile integrations, which raises uncomfortable questions about who is vetting this tech.​

Kevin Raposo

Kevin is KnowTechie's founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com.