The generation of non-consensual nude images and child sex abuse images using artificial intelligence is a problem as old as the technology itself. But it has mostly been the purview of niche sites that use social media to promote their sordid wares. The decision by xAI, the artificial intelligence and social media business backed by Elon Musk, to simplify the process of creating and sharing such images has the potential to mainstream the practice. The controversy is another example of the whack-a-mole nature of efforts by authorities to police social media. The sharing of non-consensual intimate images and child sex abuse images is already against the law here and the Attorney General has been asked to see if the legislation in this area might be relevant.

Source: The Irish Times January 12, 2026 08:01 UTC