xAI Sues Man for Using Grok to Create CSAM Deepfakes
Elon Musk’s startup xAI is suing a man for allegedly misusing the company’s AI image generator Grok to create child sexual abuse material.
Terry Harwood from South Carolina was arrested earlier this year on charges of creating sexually explicit images of minors. xAI filed its lawsuit in Texas on Tuesday, which is one of the first instances of an AI company suing one of its users for misuse.
In August 2025, xAI introduced spicy mode for Grok, which was capable of generating photorealistic nudity. Afterwards, xAI introduced the ability to edit images on Grok and that led to an avalanche of deepfake pornographic images, mostly of women, but some were of children.
Amid the furore, Grok restricted its image editing tool but that didn’t stop regulators opening an investigation and a group of teens from suing xAI who claim that Grok created nonconsensual sexually explicit images and videos of them when they were minors.
In its lawsuit, xAI says that Harwood’s allegedly making CSAM images created “significant legal risk and reputational damage” for the company.
According to Reuters, xAI’s complaint says the company “enforces its rules against violators through account suspensions, account terminations, and by reporting suspected child sexual abuse material to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).”
xAI claims to have suspended 52,222 accounts and made 73,604 reports to the NCMEC in 2026, which has purportedly led to at least 244 arrests.
“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,” xAI says in the lawsuit.
The AI startup is asking the court to order Harwood to pay damages, as well as “reasonable expenses incurred defending itself in any legal action filed by a victim of Defendant’s conduct.” xAI is also seeking a court order blocking Harwood from creating an xAI account or using Grok.
Image creditsHeader photo licensed via Depositphotos.