Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok, part of his xAI ecosystem, has come under intense scrutiny after users leveraged its image-generation capabilities to create nonconsensual sexualized images of real people, including minors.

The controversy has sparked responses from governments, human rights advocates, and legal experts worldwide, underscoring the persistent challenges of regulating AI tools with powerful media manipulation capabilities.

The Misuse and Its Scope

Over the past week, reports and screenshots shared on Musk’s social media platform X reveal that users prompted Grok to digitally alter images of adults and children, “removing clothes,” repositioning bodies, or generating sexualized depictions. While some prompts involved consenting adults, such as OnlyFans creators experimenting with their own images, numerous cases involved nonconsenting subjects. Some altered images included minors, intensifying the legal and ethical stakes.

Grok’s AI moderation policies, outlined in XAI’s “Acceptable Use” guidelines, explicitly prohibit the sexualization of individuals and the depiction of minors in pornographic contexts. Yet, the recent surge in nonconsensual prompts shows that safeguards have been inadequate. In response, Grok acknowledged lapses in its protections, stating it is working to improve them.

Regulatory Scrutiny Across Borders

The backlash has not remained confined to social media outrage. French authorities confirmed that prosecutors are investigating reports of AI-generated deepfakes from Grok, noting that distributing sexually explicit material of minors is punishable by up to two years in prison. The European Union’s Digital Services Act also provides a framework under which online platforms can be held accountable for illegal content.

In India, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) demanded a “comprehensive technical, procedural, and governance-level review” of Grok’s operations, citing cases of obscene images being generated and circulated of women. Officials instructed X to submit an action report within three days and remove content violating Indian law.

Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, Alex Davies-Jones, Minister for Victims & Violence Against Women and Girls, publicly urged Musk to act, highlighting Grok’s potential for mass exploitation. She emphasized that the AI’s ability to generate hundreds of sexualized images per minute poses unprecedented risks, particularly to women and girls. The UK is considering legislation that would criminalize the creation and dissemination of sexually explicit deepfakes, potentially adding legal pressure on platforms like X.

Grok’s Response and Corporate Accountability

In public statements on X, Grok admitted that “isolated cases” had produced images of minors in minimal clothing and reassured users that CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) is illegal and prohibited. The company stressed ongoing improvements to block such requests, although the specifics of these safeguards remain unclear. In one reply, Grok claimed that advanced filtering and monitoring could prevent most cases, but conceded that “no system is 100% foolproof.”

Legal experts question whether platform operators like xAI can rely on traditional liability protections. Under U.S. law, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act shields platforms from responsibility for user-generated content. Yet, some attorneys, including technology-facilitated abuse specialist Allison Mahoney, suggest that AI tools capable of generating content may blur the line between platform and creator.

“There needs to be clear legal avenues to hold platforms accountable,” Mahoney told Business Insider, denoting the unresolved tension between innovation and responsibility.

The Role of AI NSFW Features in Escalating Risks

Grok’s challenges are partly rooted in features Musk has openly promoted. In August 2025, the platform introduced a “spicy” mode for AI-generated adult content. Although not enabled for uploaded photos, the feature signaled an appetite for sexually explicit content, leaving a regulatory gray area that some users exploited.

The problem gained momentum after Wired reported in late December 2025 that other AI models, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, were being used to produce sexualized images from clothed photos. Grok appears to have followed this trend, demonstrating the ease with which AI can be weaponized for sexualized deepfakes.

Global Legal and Ethical Implications

The Grok controversy underscores how AI technologies are outpacing existing legal frameworks. In the United States, the Take It Down Act provides some protection against nonconsensual deepfakes, particularly for minors. Yet for adults, the law only covers deepfakes depicting sexual activity or genitalia, leaving broader exploitation scenarios in a gray zone.

Internationally, governments are grappling with similar challenges. France and India have acted swiftly, while the UK is considering criminal legislation specifically targeting AI-generated sexual content. EU regulators are monitoring compliance with the Digital Services Act, which requires online platforms to mitigate illegal content proactively.

Experts warn that without robust regulation, AI-generated deepfakes could expand into widespread harassment, revenge porn, or even child exploitation. Platforms like Grok, with high-speed image-generation capabilities, create unprecedented volumes of content, making moderation extremely difficult.

The immediate priority for Musk and xAI is technical fixes—improving filters, monitoring, and enforcement—but the broader challenge involves reconciling innovation with ethical and legal responsibilities.

Against this backdrop, companies like xAI will likely face increasing pressure to implement demonstrable safeguards and adopt proactive governance measures as governments intensify oversight. Musk’s public statements and past promotion of NSFW AI features now collide with growing demands for accountability, forcing a reckoning over whether AI platforms can operate responsibly without stricter regulation.

Warren Buffett has moved decisively to close the succession chapter at Berkshire Hathaway, insisting that the conglomerate he spent six decades building is structurally stronger than any single individual — including himself — and fully prepared to endure for generations under new leadership.

In a televised interview with CNBC’s Becky Quick, parts of which aired on Friday, Buffett offered an unqualified endorsement of Greg Abel, who officially assumed the role of chief executive on Thursday. Buffett, now 95, will remain chairman, but the handover ends one of the longest and most influential CEO tenures in modern corporate history.

“It has a better chance, I think, of being here 100 years from now than any company I can think of,” Buffett said, underscoring his conviction that Berkshire’s culture, decentralized operating model, and financial firepower give it unmatched durability.

From textile mill to trillion-dollar empire

Buffett took control of Berkshire Hathaway in the mid-1960s when it was a struggling New England textile company. Over time, he repurposed it into a sprawling conglomerate with businesses ranging from insurance and railroads to utilities, manufacturing, and consumer brands. Today, Berkshire employs close to 400,000 people worldwide and sits on a cash pile of more than $300 billion, one of the largest corporate war chests in the world.

That balance sheet strength, Buffett suggested, is central to why Berkshire can thrive beyond its founder. The company’s ability to withstand economic shocks, seize opportunities during downturns, and operate without reliance on debt markets has long been a defining feature of its strategy.

Abel takes the wheel

Buffett was emphatic that real authority now rests with Abel, a long-time Berkshire executive who previously ran Berkshire Hathaway Energy and later oversaw most of the conglomerate’s non-insurance operations.

“Greg will be the decider,” Buffett said. “I can’t imagine how much more he can get accomplished in a week than I can in a month.”

He went further, adding that he would rather have Abel manage his own money than “any of the top investment advisors or any of the top CEOs in the United States.”

That endorsement is aimed squarely at investors who have questioned whether Abel can command the same level of confidence as Buffett, whose reputation and personal brand have long been closely tied to Berkshire’s valuation. When Buffett announced in May that he would retire as CEO, Berkshire shares briefly lagged the broader market as some investors reassessed the conglomerate’s premium standing.

The skepticism reflects the scale of the challenge Abel inherits. Beyond overseeing dozens of wholly owned businesses, he must also help steward Berkshire’s massive equity portfolio, which includes significant stakes in companies such as Apple. While Buffett has always insisted that Berkshire is run by systems and principles rather than personality, markets have often treated his presence as an intangible asset.

Buffett sought to counter that perception by highlighting Abel’s temperament rather than his profile. He described his successor as practical, grounded, and far removed from the celebrity culture that surrounds many top executives.

“He’s not a distorted individual,” Buffett said. “He likes to play ice hockey with his kids. If the neighbors didn’t know who he was, they wouldn’t have any idea that on Jan. 1, he’s going to be the decider on a company that employs close to 400,000 people.”

The comment echoes Buffett’s long-held belief that sound judgment and discipline matter more than charisma, particularly at an organization designed to operate with minimal interference from headquarters.

While stepping down as CEO, Buffett made clear that he is not cutting ties with Berkshire. He will remain chairman and continue to be involved at the board level, providing continuity during the transition. However, he signaled a noticeable retreat from the public stage.

For the first time in decades, Buffett will not take questions at Berkshire’s annual shareholder meeting this year, an event that has drawn tens of thousands of investors to Omaha and become a fixture on the global investment calendar.

“Everything will be the same,” Buffett said. “I will come in. I won’t be up there speaking at the annual meeting, but I’ll be in the directors’ section.”

What lies ahead?

Abel’s early tenure will be closely watched, particularly how Berkshire deploys its vast cash reserves at a time when large acquisitions are scarce, and valuations remain elevated. Capital allocation has always been Buffett’s defining skill, and investors will be keen to see whether Berkshire maintains its patient approach or adapts under new leadership.

There is also the longer-term question of cultural continuity. Buffett has often argued that Berkshire’s decentralized structure, where subsidiary CEOs run their businesses with little interference, is the company’s true moat. Preserving that culture while navigating a more complex global economy will be one of Abel’s most consequential tasks.

After weeks of uncertainty for pay-TV subscribers across Africa, MultiChoice has locked in continued access to key Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) content, following a new multi-year, multi-territory agreement between its parent company, CANAL+ Group, and Warner Bros. Discovery.

The deal ensures that 12 popular WBD thematic channels will remain available across MultiChoice platforms, while also extending the distribution of HBO Max in selected markets.

The agreement marks a notable deepening of the strategic relationship between CANAL+ and Warner Bros. Discovery, with implications that stretch beyond Africa into parts of Europe. This removes MultiChoice’s immediate risk of losing marquee channels such as CNN International, Discovery Channel, and Cartoon Network at a time when competition from streaming platforms and consumer price sensitivity remain intense.

In a statement on Friday, MultiChoice said the new arrangement builds on a series of earlier agreements reached by CANAL+ with Warner Bros. Discovery in Europe, underlining a coordinated, group-wide approach to content partnerships. According to the company, the deal reinforces collaboration across multiple markets and strengthens its entertainment offering for subscribers.

MultiChoice pointed specifically to landmark agreements concluded in France in 2024, including the renewal of the exclusive pay-TV window for Warner Bros. Pictures films, which allows CANAL+ to air new releases just six months after their theatrical debut. That deal also paved the way for the integration of HBO Max into selected CANAL+ packages, a move that has become increasingly important as traditional broadcasters adapt to streaming-driven viewing habits.

The African and European expansion also builds on a 2025 agreement in Poland, where CANAL+ renewed its distribution rights for 22 thematic channels, including TVN24 and Eurosport, as well as four free-to-air channels such as TVN. Taken together, these deals underline Warner Bros. Discovery’s strategy of leaning on established pay-TV partners in key markets, even as it pushes direct-to-consumer streaming through HBO Max.

Under the renewed arrangement, MultiChoice will continue to distribute 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels across its territories, with a mix of exclusive and non-exclusive rights depending on the market. CNN International and Cartoon Network will remain exclusive to South Africa, while being carried on a non-exclusive basis elsewhere. Cartoon Network Porto will be exclusive in Angola and Mozambique, but available non-exclusively in other regions. Channels such as Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Food Network, TNT Africa, Travel, Investigation Discovery, and Cartoonito will be offered on a non-exclusive basis across MultiChoice markets.

The announcement brings relief to subscribers who had been warned late last year that access to major WBD channels could be cut off from January 1, 2026. In December, MultiChoice had alerted customers that its existing carriage agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery was due to expire on December 31, 2025, and that negotiations were ongoing without a deal in place.

At the time, the company said that if talks failed, several WBD channels might no longer be available on DStv from the start of 2026, raising concerns among viewers in Nigeria, South Africa, and other markets where channels like CNN and Discovery are central to the pay-TV offering.

The successful renewal removes that immediate risk and stabilizes MultiChoice’s content lineup as it navigates a challenging operating environment marked by subscriber churn, currency pressures in key African markets, and rising competition from global streaming services. It also strengthens CANAL+’s hand as it continues its push to consolidate its footprint across Africa through its growing stake in MultiChoice.

So far, the deal preserves distribution scale and advertising reach for Warner Bros. Discovery in regions where pay-TV remains a dominant mode of content consumption, even as streaming adoption grows.