Minister with Responsibility for Artificial Intelligence Niamh Smyth has said that "concerns remain" regarding the Grok AI tool on the X social media platform following a meeting with the company's executives today.
Ms Smyth welcomed the "corrective actions" taken by X after the executives told her that Grok has been "disabled from removing or reducing clothing on individuals worldwide".
Yesterday, the platform confirmed that it will "geoblock" the ability of all Grok and X users to create images of people in "bikinis, underwear, and similar attire" in jurisdictions where such actions are deemed illegal.
The move follows widespread outrage over features that allowed users to digitally undress people's images.
Ms Smyth met X executives to express her "serious dismay" that non-consensual intimate imagery and child sexual abuse material were being generated and posted on the platform.
"I emphasised that the sophistication of safeguards must match the sophistication of the technology," she said afterwards.
However, the minister said that "concerns remain regarding Grok as a standalone app, and this is something Government will examine further.
"I will continue to monitor the situation closely and am scheduled to hold an in-person follow-up meeting with X in the near future to ensure adequate and enduring protections remain in place.
"I look forward to discussing this matter further with my colleagues from across Government on Monday."
X declines invitation to attend committee hearing
The Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media and Communications said that X has turned down an invitation to appear before it next month.
Alan Kelly said: An invitation was issued to X to appear at the Oireachtas Committee on February 4th, which they have turned down today," describing the move as "deeply concerning".
The Labour Party TD confirmed that Meta and TikTok had agreed to come before TDs and senators.
"The manner in which X have operated over the course of this debacle is disgraceful," Mr Kelly said in a statement.
"I would urge X executives to rethink this, and I am calling on Minister (Patrick) O'Donovan and Minster Smyth to reiterate to X the importance of it appearing at the Committee.
"The attitude adopted by X is deeply concerning, particularly given that the Minister has expressed that 'concerns remain' following meeting with officials from X today.
"X officials should have presented themselves to the Committee, to give the public and legislators an understanding of what happened and what steps are being taken to safeguard against any form of inappropriate and illegal use of AI.
"Social media platforms have a crucial role to play in a healthy society providing spaces for dialogue but what has happened with X over the past month, indeed since it changed ownership, is intolerable," Mr Kelly said.
Martin, Govt keeping X use 'under review'
Asked about the continued use of X by the Government, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the coalition has issues with platforms at different times and the matter is being kept "under review".
Generating child sex abuse material is shocking, Mr Martin said, and there are other "very problematic" issues in terms of children's health and wellbeing.
"In terms of child pornography or intimate images pertaining to children, there has to be absolute enforcement of the law, and X should be pursued in respect of that."
Mr Martin said that he is not going to have a "knee-jerk reaction" on using X because it could just as easily be other platforms but said "at the same time we are keeping it under review".
The Government, the European Commission and Coimisiún na Meán engaged with social media companies when issues arise, and many of them are responsive, the Taoiseach added, but "X has not been as responsive as others over previous issues".
Asked if existing laws regarding abuse material and intimate images only apply to individuals, he said: "They can also apply to the platforms".
Mr Martin also pointed to billions of euro in fines levied on platforms in recent years.
Minister defends Govt response to Grok controversy
Minister for Communications and Media Patrick O'Donovan dismissed claims that the Government is taking a soft approach to policing Grok and the AI-generation of sexualised images of women and children.
He said that he took offence to claims that the coalition was not taking the issue seriously.
"That's rubbish, to be quite honest about it," he told RTÉ's Today with David McCullagh.
"I take offence to that. I don't think that anybody sitting around the Cabinet table would want to have any suggestion that there's a lax attitude being taken towards the abuse of children.
"I think that that's utter rubbish."
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Labour TD Marie Sherlock called for a ban on the downloading of Grok from app stores, describing X as a "despicable place".
Speaking on the same programme, the Dublin Central deputy said the action must be taken because the Government "is always behind the curve" and investigations take time to reach a conclusion.
Ms Sherlock said that existing AI legislation in place in Ireland from the European Union is "very weak" and needs to be changed, saying there are ways around the geo-block being applied to the app in Ireland.
"As a very simple initiative this week, my colleague Alan Kelly was saying, the Government needs to move now to actually block the use of Grok in this country.
"To move to block the app store actually selling or facilitating the download of the Grok app."
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Call for information campaign on intimate image creation
An independent body has recommended an information campaign in relation to the creation and distribution of AI-generated non-consensual intimate images.
In its report to the Government, the AI Advisory Council cautioned that some people who are using artificial intellienge to create such images and sharing them may not be aware that such activities are potentially illegal.
It recommended that the Government run an information campaign - similar to the successful campaign on the sharing of intimate images - to drive awareness among the public.
In a statement, Minister Smyth said the council believes that: "Irish law is sufficiently robust to address the non-consensual sharing of AI-generated intimate images and the production and/or sharing of AI-generated child sexual abuse material.
"Whether AI generated or not, these actions are illegal in Ireland.
"The most effective response is a harmonised EU-wide approach. The EU AI Act does not address AI technologies being used in this way," Ms Smyth said.
