A writer and political commentator who is the mother of one of Elon Musk’s children has filed a lawsuit against Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, accusing its chatbot Grok of generating sexually explicit deepfake images of her without consent. The case adds to growing scrutiny of generative AI tools and their ability to create harmful and invasive content involving real people.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in New York, alleges that Grok was used to digitally manipulate images of Ashley St. Clair in ways that were degrading and sexually explicit. According to the complaint, users repeatedly prompted the chatbot to alter photographs of her, producing fabricated nude images that were then shared online. St. Clair argues that the content caused significant emotional distress and violated her privacy.

The legal action came the same day xAI acknowledged that Grok would no longer edit images of real people wearing revealing clothing on X, the social media platform owned by Musk. The company said the change followed backlash after users discovered the chatbot could comply with requests to create explicit images, including those involving minors. Critics have accused xAI of failing to implement basic safeguards before releasing the technology widely.

St. Clair, 27, alleges that Grok continued generating explicit images of her even after she publicly stated that she did not consent to such use of her likeness. The lawsuit claims the chatbot produced a large volume of sexually abusive content at users’ requests, amplifying the harm through repeated exposure and online distribution.

One of the most serious allegations involves images taken when St. Clair was a teenager. The lawsuit contends that users located photographs of her at age 14 and asked Grok to digitally undress her, a request the chatbot allegedly fulfilled. The complaint argues that this conduct demonstrates a systemic failure to prevent illegal and exploitative outputs.

xAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Musk, writing on X, said he was unaware of any instances in which Grok generated explicit images of minors and insisted the chatbot is designed to comply with applicable laws. He has previously described Grok as a system intended to operate within legal boundaries.

St. Clair is seeking a jury trial and monetary damages, citing emotional harm, reputational injury, and loss of privacy. The lawsuit also raises broader questions about accountability when AI systems generate harmful content at the direction of users, particularly when the subjects are identifiable individuals.