Indonesia Resumes Use of Grok with Monitoring Restrictions

Indonesia reinstates access to Grok, an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, after the service was suspended for generating sexualized deepfake images, including of children. The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs announced, through a statement, that company X may resume operations but will be subject to strict monitoring to prevent further violations.

The government agency stated that company X presented a document outlining measures to prevent abuses of its chatbot. Alexander Sabar, director general of digital space oversight at the ministry, declared that the agency will conduct continuous tests to assess the effectiveness of these measures, with the possibility of revoking the authorization if violations of legislation, especially concerning child protection, are identified.

The initial ban occurred this year when Indonesia, along with Malaysia and the Philippines, suspended the chatbot after discoveries that it produced sexually explicit images without consent, in response to user requests. The Philippines' ban was lifted later, and Malaysia followed suit a few days after, also committing to monitoring the platform and applying sanctions if there are recurrences.

In addition to the bans in Asian countries, Grok is also facing investigations by the California Attorney General and the UK media regulator, due to similar issues related to the generation of inappropriate content.

With this reopening, there is an increasing concern surrounding AI regulation, particularly regarding child safety and privacy. Future actions by developers will be crucial to ensure responsible use of technology.