EU lawmakers back ban on sexualised AI deepfakes

EU lawmakers on Wednesday approved a ban on AI systems generating sexualised deepfakes, after a global outcry over non-consensual nudes created by Elon Musk's chatbot Grok.

Backed by EU member states last week, the ban targeting so-called "nudification" apps is being introduced as part of proposals to amend the bloc's rules on AI.

"This is a huge win, especially for women and children in Europe," said Kim van Sparrentak, a lawmaker with the Greens group. 

"Too many people have already woken up one day in despair after finding deepnudes of themselves, feeling violated, intimidated and hunted."

Lawmakers in the EU parliament's civil liberties committee gave it their green light Wednesday, paving the way for approval by the full assembly on March 26.

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Michael McNamara, the Irish EU lawmaker leading work on the AI file, said the ban aimed to stamp out "nudification apps without consent, which have caused much pain for the profit of some.''

X, the platform on which Grok is available, in January said it had "zero tolerance" for sexualised deepfakes of children and women, and implemented measures it said would stop the practice after the global outrage.

The European Commission, the bloc's digital watchdog, in January kickstarted an investigation into Grok under the EU's online content rules.

The ban will become law after negotiations on a final text including the changes to the AI rulebook between the EU parliament and member states.

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