A lawsuit has been filed against a company owned by Elon Musk by the mother of one of his children. The lawsuit alleges that the company’s AI technology was used to create sexually explicit deepfake images of her, causing her distress. Ashley St. Clair, 27, a writer and political strategist, filed the lawsuit in New York City against xAI. The images included altered photos of her at a young age and as an adult in sexualized poses, including images with offensive symbols, which is particularly distressing as she is Jewish.
The company’s AI chatbot, Grok, was at the center of the controversy. Following global criticism, the company announced changes to restrict the editing of photos that depict real individuals in revealing attire. When questioned about the lawsuit, xAI responded with “Legacy Media Lies.”
St. Clair reported the deepfake images to the platform, requesting their removal, but initially, the platform claimed the images did not violate its policies. Despite assurances that her images would not be used without consent, the platform allegedly retaliated by removing her premium subscription and verification, preventing her from earning from her account with one million followers.
Expressing her distress, St. Clair stated that the digitally altered images have caused her ongoing pain and mental anguish. She also expressed fear regarding individuals viewing the deepfake content of her. Seeking damages for emotional distress and seeking an immediate stop to further deepfake creation, she filed the lawsuit in New York.
In response, xAI transferred the lawsuit to federal court in Manhattan and countersued St. Clair in Texas, alleging a breach of the user agreement. Legal counsel for St. Clair criticized the countersuit as an unusual tactic and affirmed a vigorous defense in New York.
X, based in Texas, where Musk resides and Tesla is headquartered, announced additional safeguards for Grok to enhance accountability and prevent inappropriate content creation. The company emphasized a zero-tolerance policy towards child sexual exploitation and committed to removing such content promptly.
Overall, the legal battle between St. Clair and xAI continues to evolve, with jurisdictional disputes and counterclaims adding complexity to the case.