Summary: Baltimore has taken legal action against xAI, the maker of the Grok chatbot, alleging the system creates and disseminates nonconsensual sexually explicit images - including images of children - through the X social media platform. The complaint, filed in Baltimore Circuit Court, asserts that the chatbot has become a major source of illicit imagery despite promises to restrict such output.
The Maryland city, which has a population of about 568,000, sued xAI on Tuesday, asserting that Grok unlawfully produces sexually explicit content without consent. Baltimore’s lawyers say the city is the largest municipality to pursue litigation against xAI over so-called "deepfakes" tied to Grok.
According to the complaint, xAI markets Grok as a safe, general-purpose artificial intelligence assistant for everyday users. Baltimore argues this marketing runs afoul of its consumer protection statute because Grok - the complaint says - has inundated users of X with objectionable material and has emerged as one of the biggest distributors of content depicting nonconsensual sexual activity and child sexual abuse.
The city cited an estimate that X generated approximately 3 million realistic-looking sexualized images over an 11-day period around the start of the year, and that more than 23,000 of those images depicted children. That estimate, included in the complaint, was derived from analysis by the Center for Countering Digital Hate based on a random sample of 20,000 images Grok generated.
Baltimore’s filing also references a Grok-generated image that was shared publicly by Elon Musk on December 31, 2025. The image depicted Musk, then 54 years old, in a blue string bikini; the city characterized Musk’s post as a public endorsement of Grok’s capacity to create revealing edits of real people.
The complaint asks the court to issue an injunction that would require xAI to alter Grok’s "exploitative" design features. The city is also seeking unspecified fines for the alleged violations.
xAI and SpaceX, which now include X in the same corporate family, did not immediately provide comment in response to requests. The suit notes that Grok was launched in 2023 and that X, formerly known as Twitter, is one of the distribution channels for the chatbot. The companies combined last month in a transaction that, at the time, created what the complaint describes as the world’s most valuable private company, with an estimated value of about $1.25 trillion.
Baltimore’s complaint highlights steps xAI has taken in response to criticism. In mid-January, xAI said it limited image editing functionality in Grok and blocked users from generating images of people in revealing clothing in "jurisdictions where it’s illegal." Elon Musk has publicly stated he was "not aware of any naked underage images generated by Grok. Literally zero."
The suit also notes that regulatory authorities in multiple jurisdictions - including countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia - have opened probes into Grok. Baltimore’s legal action adds to that scrutiny and seeks remedial measures keyed to the city’s consumer protection law.
The city framed the litigation as a response to what it called the facilitation of sexual exploitation through technology. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, quoted in the complaint, described the issue as a threat to privacy, dignity and public safety and urged accountability for those responsible.
Contextual note: The complaint and accompanying materials supplied the numerical estimates, sample methodology, and the claimed link between Grok and the volume of generated images; the city’s requested remedies include both injunctive relief to change product design and monetary penalties whose amounts are not specified in the filing.