Kate Middleton is among several public figures who have reportedly been targeted by users of X’s artificial intelligence assistant, Grok, which has been used to generate fake nude or scantily clad images of real women without their consent.
The BBC reported on Jan. 6 that Ofcom has made “urgent contact” with X, owned by Elon Musk, following reports that Grok was being used to create so-called “undressed images” of identifiable individuals. Screenshots reviewed by the BBC showed users asking the chatbot to digitally alter real photos to place women in bikinis or sexualized scenarios without their permission.
Jul 2, 2019; London, United Kingdom; Kate Middleton the Duchess of Cambridge in attendance for the Serena Williams (USA) and Giulia Gatto-Monticone (ITA) match on day two at the All England Lawn and Croquet Club. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
The Princess of Wales, 43, was reportedly among the subjects of such requests. Journalist Samantha Smith also told the BBC that seeing altered images resembling her was deeply distressing, leaving her feeling “dehumanized and reduced into a sexual stereotype.”
“While it wasn’t me that was in states of undress, it looked like me and it felt like me,” Smith said. “It felt as violating as if someone had actually posted a nude or a bikini picture of me.”
Concerns intensified after screenshots circulated appearing to show users requesting Grok generate bikini images of a 15-year-old actress, raising alarms about potential child sexual exploitation. X’s Safety account posted a warning on Jan. 4 stating the platform takes action against illegal content, including child sexual abuse material, by removing it, suspending accounts, and cooperating with law enforcement.
U.K. technology minister Liz Kendall urged swift enforcement, encouraging Ofcom to take any action it deems necessary. “We cannot and will not allow the proliferation of these demeaning and degrading images, which are disproportionately aimed at women and girls,” she said, according to The Guardian.
Billionaire Elon Musk waves to the crowd as he exits the stage during a town hall on Sunday, March 30, 2025, at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay, Wis. Musk held the event to drive turnout for Tuesday’s state Supreme Court election between Brad Schimel and Susan Crawford. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Musk responded separately to questions about Grok, writing that anyone using the AI tool to generate illegal content would face the same consequences as users who upload such material directly.
The controversy is not the first time Kate has been subjected to invasive imagery. In 2012, long-lens photographs taken of her sunbathing topless in southern France were published without consent. She and Prince William later won a court case and were awarded damages, with the palace calling the images “unjustifiable.”
The latest reports echo long-standing concerns raised by the Princess of Wales about online safety and digital harm. In October 2025, she co-authored an essay with Harvard professor Robert Waldinger titled The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World, warning that modern technology can fracture attention and deepen disconnection.
“While new technology has many benefits, we must also acknowledge that it plays a complex and often troubling role,” she wrote, arguing that constant digital distraction erodes empathy and meaningful human connection.
