Elon Musk's AI startup xAI has filed a lawsuit against a South Carolina man for allegedly using its artificial intelligence system Grok to create child sexual abuse material.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Texas, targets Terry Harwood, who is accused of violating xAI's terms of service.
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This case is one of the first instances where an AI company has taken legal action against a user for such misuse.
According to the complaint, Harwood uploaded non-sexual images to Grok and attempted to produce sexually explicit deepfakes.
xAI stated that his actions constituted a deliberate scheme to exploit the tool for criminal purposes.
“Defendant’s actions were a calculated scheme to weaponize Plaintiff’s tool for criminal ends, exposing real victims to profound and lasting harm, while exposing Plaintiff to significant legal risk and reputational damage,” the lawsuit claimed.
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xAI emphasized that it actively enforces its rules against violations through account suspensions, terminations, and by notifying the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children about suspected child sexual abuse material.
Harwood was arrested in February, but his contact information has not been disclosed.
xAI is seeking unspecified monetary damages and an injunction to prevent Harwood from using Grok in the future.
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The lawsuit comes amid heightened scrutiny regarding Grok's potential to facilitate the creation of non-consensual sexualized deepfakes, as reported by The Guardian.
