AI Minister among those to leave X after Grok deepfakes

Vivienne Clarke and Ottoline Spearman

The Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence has said she is considering leaving X, saying it may be the most impactful way to send a message to the platform amid growing concern over the dissemination of explicit AI-generated images.

Niamh Smyth, Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan-Monaghan, told Newstalk Breakfast that several other TDs and ministers were considering doing the same.

Ms Smyth is seeking a meeting with X over Grok AI turning photos of women and minors into sexually suggestive deepfake images.

She told Newstalk that the circulation of these images was illegal under both Irish and European law, and that there already was “a very robust framework in place” to prevent dissemination.

I have written to X... they're a little bit elusive here in Ireland, a little difficult to pin down - Niamh Smyth

“I've heard a lot of debate over the last 24 hours about strengthening the laws and ensuring that they're robust, but from my understanding of the Irish law and EU law... we have those laws in place," she said.

Ms Smyth said that the focus should be on enforcement rather than creating new legislation.

Charity Women's Aid has also called for the urgent implementation of legislation to ban such AI tools. Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, CEO Sarah Benson urged greater regulation of the sector, along with the banning of the IP that allows “nudify” apps.

This level of violence and abuse being perpetrated by the platform's own tools is just unconscionable - Women's Aid

Women's Aid will stop using X because of the “unconscionable levels” of misogyny, racism and anti LGBT content on the platform.

Ms Benson said that X “was supposed to be the online town hall where you could engage in constructive, discursive debate, where you can learn what was going on in the world.

"But we've recognised for quite some time without any kind of moderation, there has been a serious problem with that platform for a while.

"This level of violence and abuse being perpetrated by the platform's own tools is just unconscionable.”

The Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence has written to X seeking a meeting, saying they are "a little bit elusive here in Ireland, a little difficult to pin down".

She said that she would be telling X, “this is not legal, it is not acceptable, it is apparent, and it should be stopped.

"X have their own safety measures in place too, and they're breaking their own guidelines in terms of what is safe to disseminate among the public on the platform."

Ms Smyth also said that she was hoping for “a whole of government” approach on the issue, and that enforcement requires regulator Coimisiún na Meán working with the European Commission and gardaí.