By Linet Amuli - Reporter
Kenya, January 09, 2026 - Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, has restricted its image creation and editing tools to paying users only after criticism over how the technology was being misused online.
The move follows public outrage after Grok was reportedly used to create fake and inappropriate images of women and children by altering photos found on the internet. Several governments and regulators warned that such content could break the law, and Musk has faced the possibility of fines.
On Friday, January 9, Grok announced the change on X, the social media platform owned by Musk. The chatbot told users that image generation and editing features are now available only to subscribers. This means non-paying users can no longer use Grok to create or modify images. Those who want access must provide payment details and personal information.
However, the decision has not eased concerns among some users.
The office of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer strongly criticized the move, saying it does not solve the problem. A spokesperson said limiting the feature to paid users is “insulting” to victims and simply turns a harmful tool into a paid service rather than stopping abuse.
European Union officials also said the change does not address their main concerns. EU digital affairs spokesperson Thomas Regnier said the issue is not whether users pay or not, but that such images should not be created at all. He stressed that platforms must be designed to prevent illegal content from being generated.
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Following the controversy, the European Commission ordered X to keep all internal records and data related to Grok until the end of 2026. Regulators want to review how the system works and ensure it complies with digital safety laws.
Other countries, including France, Malaysia, and India, have also spoken out against the misuse of the tool.
Musk responded that anyone who uses Grok to create illegal content will face consequences, just as they would for posting illegal material online. X’s safety team later said the platform removes unlawful content, suspends offending accounts, and cooperates with law enforcement when required.
The controversy has renewed global debate about how AI tools should be controlled to prevent harm while protecting users online.
