Philippines: Department of Information and Communications Technology opened investigation into xAI over Grok image-generation capabilities and imposed an access restriction on the service

On 16 January 2026, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) opened an investigation into xAI concerning the image-generation capabilities of its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, and imposed an access restriction on the service. The action followed an order to ensure a safe digital space for Filipino users. An inter-agency technical assessment, led by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) in coordination with relevant government agencies, identified that Grok had previously been associated with the generation of non-consensual, sexually explicit, and manipulated images. The assessment referenced regulatory actions taken in other jurisdictions, including Indonesia and Malaysia. The identified issues were reported as raising implications for digital safety, privacy, and the protection of vulnerable sectors, particularly women and children. The investigation assessed safeguards and content moderation measures implemented by xAI and provided the basis for regulatory monitoring under applicable Philippine laws and regulations, including safeguards against content-related cybercrime offences.