California AG Sends Musk’s xAI a Cease-and-Desist Order Over Sexual Deepfakes
California AG demands xAI stop generating nonconsensual sexual deepfakes amid global backlash and legal scrutiny.
Matilda
California AG Sends Musk’s xAI a Cease-and-Desist Order Over Sexual Deepfakes
Deepfake Scandal: California AG Orders xAI to Halt Sexual AI Imagery In a landmark move against AI misuse, California Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued a cease-and-desist order to Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, demanding an immediate halt to the creation of nonconsensual sexual deepfakes—including images of minors. The action follows mounting reports that xAI’s Grok chatbot, particularly through its controversial “spicy” mode, is being exploited to generate explicit, fabricated content without consent. This development answers urgent public concerns: Can AI companies be held legally accountable for harmful deepfakes? And in California’s view—yes, they can. Credit: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg / Getty Images The cease-and-desist letter, sent January 16, 2026, explicitly targets the production and distribution of both nonconsensual intimate imagery and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). “The creation of this material is illegal,” Bonta stated. “California has zero toler…