The mother of one of Elon Musk’s children is taking legal action against his AI company for the alleged dissemination of sexually explicit deepfake images portraying her. Ashley St. Clair, 27, who identifies as a writer and political strategist, has filed a lawsuit in New York City against xAI, claiming that the company’s Grok chatbot facilitated the creation of deepfake images depicting her in compromising and offensive scenarios, leading to her humiliation and emotional suffering.
St. Clair, who is of Jewish descent, asserts that the images generated by xAI included manipulated photos of her from a young age up to adulthood, portraying her in inappropriate and demeaning contexts. Following widespread criticism over the sexualized depiction of individuals, X, Musk’s social media platform, announced that Grok would no longer be permitted to alter photos to display real people in revealing attire, particularly where such actions are unlawful.
In response to inquiries regarding the lawsuit, xAI simply replied with “Legacy Media Lies.” St. Clair disclosed that she had reported the deepfake images to X, requesting their removal, but initially received responses indicating that the images did not breach platform policies. Despite assurances that her images would not be misused without consent, St. Clair claims that X retaliated by revoking her premium subscription and verification status, thereby preventing her from earning through her account with one million followers, while allowing the circulation of degrading fake images of her.
Expressing the distress caused by xAI’s involvement in disseminating these digitally manipulated images, St. Clair emphasized the ongoing mental anguish and embarrassment she endures, fearing the impact on those viewing the deepfakes. Seeking unspecified damages for emotional distress and immediate cessation of further deepfake creation, St. Clair initiated legal action in state Supreme Court in New York.
Subsequently, xAI’s attorneys transferred the lawsuit to federal court in Manhattan and issued a countersuit against St. Clair in the Northern District of Texas, alleging a violation of the user agreement terms requiring legal disputes to be litigated in Texas federal court. X, headquartered in Texas, where Musk resides and operates Tesla, initiated these legal maneuvers. St. Clair’s lawyer, Carrie Goldberg, condemned the countersuit as an unprecedented move, affirming vigorous defense in New York and underscoring the gravity of St. Clair’s claims against xAI.
Moreover, X announced additional safety measures for Grok, restricting image creation and editing to paid accounts to enhance accountability. The platform reaffirmed a zero-tolerance stance towards child sexual exploitation, nonconsensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content, committing to prompt removal of such material and reporting accounts implicated in child exploitation to law enforcement agencies.