Governor Goes on the Offensive

On Wednesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom took to X to blast Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI, demanding state authorities investigate its Grok chatbot over allegations that it enables the creation and distribution of nonconsensual AI-generated sexual images of children.

"xAI's decision to create and host a breeding ground for predators to spread nonconsensual sexually explicit AI deepfakes, including images that digitally undress children, is vile," Newsom wrote in his post.

He added that he was calling on California's attorney general to "immediately investigate the company and hold xAI accountable."

This latest clash adds another chapter to the ongoing tension between Newsom and Musk, who has been a vocal critic of California's regulatory environment. Musk moved Tesla Inc. (TSLA) headquarters to Texas back in 2021, and the two had a public spat in December 2025.

xAI didn't respond to requests for comment beyond an automated response.

International Backlash Grows

The governor's comments come as Grok faces mounting pressure from multiple directions. The American Federation of Teachers has completely abandoned X, pointing to Grok's ability to produce sexualized AI images of children as the breaking point.

The backlash isn't just domestic. Malaysia and Indonesia have both restricted access to Grok, expressing concerns that the platform could be exploited to create and distribute child sexual abuse material. Meanwhile, regulators in Europe and India have launched their own investigations into the chatbot's image-generation features.

It's a growing crisis for Musk's AI venture, with child safety concerns now drawing attention from authorities on multiple continents.