The European Commission has launched a new formal investigation into X over the deployment of its Grok artificial intelligence tool, escalating regulatory pressure on Elon Musk’s platform amid mounting concerns about sexually explicit deepfakes and other illegal content circulating in the EU.

The Commission said that it will examine whether X properly assessed and mitigated risks associated with Grok’s image- and text-generation features before introducing them to European users. Regulators highlighted the proliferation of manipulated sexual content — including non-consensual intimate images and material that may constitute child sexual abuse imagery — as evidence that risks had “materialized,” exposing EU citizens to harm.

In parallel, Brussels expanded an ongoing probe launched in December 2023 into X’s recommender systems, including its recent shift to a Grok-based recommendation model. Investigators are determining whether the platform fulfilled its legal obligations under the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA) to assess, report, and mitigate systemic risks, including gender-based violence, threats to mental health, and the dissemination of illegal content.

If confirmed, the Commission said, the violations would constitute infringements of Articles 34, 35, and 42 of the DSA. X, designated a “very large online platform” under the law, faces heightened duties around transparency, content moderation, and risk management.

The proceedings also place Ireland’s Coimisiún na Meán — X’s lead EU supervisory authority — in an associated role, while shifting primary enforcement power to Brussels for the duration of the investigation.

The Commission may now compel additional information, conduct interviews and inspections, impose interim measures, or issue non-compliance decisions. It can also accept commitments from X to correct violations.

The action follows a €120 million DSA penalty issued against X in December 2025 for deceptive design practices, insufficient researcher data access, and transparency failures around advertising.

“Sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation,” said Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen. “We will determine whether X has met its legal obligations … or whether it treated rights of European citizens as collateral damage of its service.”

Under the DSA, individuals affected by AI-generated abuse can file complaints with their national Digital Services Coordinator.

Need Help?

If you have questions or concerns about any global guidelines, regulations and laws, don’t hesitate to reach out to BABL AI. Their Audit Experts can offer valuable insight, and ensure you’re informed and compliant.