Malaysia Lifts Grok Ban After AI Safety Review

Malaysia has officially lifted its temporary ban on Grok, the AI chatbot developed by X Corp. The decision comes after the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) confirmed that the company has implemented necessary safety measures.

The ban was initially imposed earlier this month following reports that the chatbot was being used to generate non-consensual sexualized deepfake images. This move places Malaysia among the first countries to regulate the rapidly evolving AI landscape, balancing innovation with public safety concerns.

Malaysia moved swiftly to temporarily halt access to Grok earlier this month, joining Indonesia in taking decisive action. The restriction was a direct response to multiple reports emerging of the chatbot being used to generate deepfake sexualized images of individuals, including women and children.

At the time of the ban, the MCMC stated clearly that the restrictions would remain in place until X Corp and its parent company, xAI, could prove they had enforced the necessary safeguards against such misuse.

The restrictions would remain in place until X Corp and parent xAI could prove they had enforced the necessary safeguards.

Following the implementation of these new protocols, Malaysian authorities appear to be taking the company at its word. The MCMC released a statement confirming its satisfaction with the safety measures now in place, leading to the official removal of the ban.

The issue of AI-generated deepfakes has triggered a significant international response. While Malaysia and Indonesia are the only two countries to have issued official bans on Grok to date, other nations are taking regulatory steps.

In the United Kingdom, regulator Ofcom has opened a formal investigation into X under the country’s Online Safety Act. This investigation was launched in the wake of the non-consensual sexual deepfake scandal involving the chatbot.

The scale of the issue is substantial. The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a UK-based non-profit, released an estimate highlighting the volume of problematic content. Their data suggests that in an 11-day period between late December and early January, Grok generated approximately 3 million sexualized images. Alarmingly, around 23,000 of those images were of children.

In response to the mounting pressure and regulatory scrutiny, X Corp has made significant changes to its image-editing policies. On January 14, the company announced an update to what Grok is permitted to do.

The new policy explicitly states that Grok will no longer allow "the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis." This represents a direct attempt to curb the generation of sexualized content and prevent the creation of non-consensual deepfakes.

These policy shifts are a critical component of the safety measures that satisfied Malaysian regulators. The changes demonstrate a proactive approach by the platform to address the specific misuse patterns that led to the initial ban.

While the ban has been lifted, the situation remains under close observation. The MCMC has emphasized that this is not a permanent pass for the platform to operate without oversight.

Authorities have explicitly stated that they will continue to monitor the social media platform for any signs of regression or new violations. The statement included a firm warning that any further user safety breaches or violations of Malaysian laws would be dealt with decisively.

This approach highlights a growing trend in tech regulation: initial action followed by sustained vigilance. Malaysia's stance suggests that compliance is an ongoing requirement, not a one-time achievement.

The lifting of the ban on Grok in Malaysia marks a significant moment in the regulation of generative AI. It demonstrates that national authorities can and will act quickly to protect citizens from digital harms, while also being willing to reverse those actions when safety standards are met.

For X Corp, this serves as a precedent for how other nations may view the platform's safety protocols. The company's ability to implement and enforce effective safeguards will likely be scrutinized by regulators worldwide.

As AI technology continues to advance, the balance between innovation and safety remains delicate. Malaysia's experience offers a blueprint for a responsive regulatory framework that adapts to new challenges while holding tech companies accountable.