Starmer Signals Possible Government Action on X’s AI Chatbot Grok

The UK government has addressed concerns about the regulation of artificial intelligence chatbots, focusing on X’s Grok and the creation of non-consensual intimate images. New legal measures are set to take effect, expanding current protections against online abuse.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated during a Parliamentary Labour Party meeting that the government will intervene if X, formerly known as Twitter, does not manage its AI chatbot Grok effectively. He said that companies profiting from harm and abuse could lose the right to self-regulate.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced that the creation of non-consensual intimate images using AI tools such as Grok will become a criminal offence under the Data (Use and Access) Act. This measure is scheduled to come into force this week, targeting the use of nudifying software and similar technologies.

Current UK law, through the Online Safety Act 2023, already makes it illegal to share or threaten to share intimate images without consent, including deepfakes. However, the act of creating such images has not yet been covered by legislation until the commencement of the new act.

What the numbers show

• The Online Safety Act 2023 has been in force since January 2024
• The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 legislated against creating non-consensual images, but is not yet in force as of January 2026
• The creation of non-consensual intimate images will become a criminal offence this week

The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 specifically addresses the creation and request for creation of non-consensual intimate images using nudifying software. Although the law was passed in 2025, its provisions have not been implemented until now.

According to the government, the new legal provisions will close a gap by criminalising the generation of intimate images without consent, complementing existing laws that already address the distribution and sharing of such material.

Starmer’s comments reflect a policy approach that links the right of technology companies to self-regulate with their ability to prevent harm and abuse on their platforms. The government has indicated that failure to comply with these standards could result in direct intervention.

With the introduction of these new offences, the UK legal framework will now address both the creation and distribution of non-consensual intimate images, including those generated by artificial intelligence tools like Grok.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.