Grok's AI bot has been generating pornographic images at an alarming rate, raising serious concerns about non-consensual pornography. The tool, which was touted by its creator Elon Musk as a "sexy" and "spicy" setting, has been producing 6,700 images per hour - or one every minute. This is not only problematic but also perpetuates a legacy of misogyny and objectification.
Musk's defense that the porn industry drove VHS to success in the 1980s may seem valid on the surface, but it glosses over the fact that the tech was developed with explicit sex appeal as its starting point. This approach is not unique to Grok; various technologies have been created around the dissemination of sexualized images of women's bodies without necessarily involving consent from the subjects themselves.
Take, for example, Google Images, which arose out of a search for Jennifer Lopez in a low-cut dress during the 2000 Oscars. The incident was publicized by Lopez herself and has since become a notable moment in her career. In this instance, it can be argued that there was consent from Lopez, but other cases are far less clear-cut.
The development of YouTube, too, took its cue from frustration over finding explicit content online - specifically Janet Jackson's infamous wardrobe malfunction. The incident remains a contentious matter for both the artist and the platform.
Another case is Mark Zuckerberg's Facesmash project, which was intended to compare women's faces but ended up as a source of humiliation and distress for some participants. These examples illustrate that even seemingly innocuous or harmless technologies can take on lives of their own - with unforeseen consequences.
By downplaying the role of the sex industry in shaping these technologies, Musk obscures the fundamental issue: objectifying women's bodies is an ingrained aspect of our culture. This perspective neglects to acknowledge that the most valuable tech often relies on and reinforces such attitudes.
It is telling that Elon Musk - someone with a track record of prioritizing profits over ethics - would be so willing to allow his technology to become associated with these problems.
Musk's defense that the porn industry drove VHS to success in the 1980s may seem valid on the surface, but it glosses over the fact that the tech was developed with explicit sex appeal as its starting point. This approach is not unique to Grok; various technologies have been created around the dissemination of sexualized images of women's bodies without necessarily involving consent from the subjects themselves.
Take, for example, Google Images, which arose out of a search for Jennifer Lopez in a low-cut dress during the 2000 Oscars. The incident was publicized by Lopez herself and has since become a notable moment in her career. In this instance, it can be argued that there was consent from Lopez, but other cases are far less clear-cut.
The development of YouTube, too, took its cue from frustration over finding explicit content online - specifically Janet Jackson's infamous wardrobe malfunction. The incident remains a contentious matter for both the artist and the platform.
Another case is Mark Zuckerberg's Facesmash project, which was intended to compare women's faces but ended up as a source of humiliation and distress for some participants. These examples illustrate that even seemingly innocuous or harmless technologies can take on lives of their own - with unforeseen consequences.
By downplaying the role of the sex industry in shaping these technologies, Musk obscures the fundamental issue: objectifying women's bodies is an ingrained aspect of our culture. This perspective neglects to acknowledge that the most valuable tech often relies on and reinforces such attitudes.
It is telling that Elon Musk - someone with a track record of prioritizing profits over ethics - would be so willing to allow his technology to become associated with these problems.