Philippines: Department of Information and Communications Technology lifted access restriction following investigation into xAI over Grok image-generation capabilities

On 21 January 2026, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) concluded the investigation opened on 16 January 2026 into xAI concerning the image-generation capabilities of its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, and lifted the access restriction imposed on that date. 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, had 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 confirmed the implementation of safeguards and content moderation measures by xAI and established continued regulatory monitoring under applicable Philippine laws and regulations, including safeguards against content-related cybercrime offences.