European Regulators Launch Probe into Grok AI Over Deepfake Generation and Data Privacy Violations

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission investigates Elon Musk’s Grok AI following reports of deepfake generation and unauthorized data scraping within the EU.

By: AXL Media

Published: Feb 17, 2026, 6:20 AM EST

Source: Information for this report was sourced from AP News

Regulatory Scrutiny of xAI in Europe

The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), the primary regulator for many tech giants in the European Union, has launched an investigation into the operations of Grok AI. This move follows a surge in complaints regarding the AI’s safety guardrails, specifically its capacity to create realistic but fraudulent images and videos. Regulators are examining whether xAI has failed to implement sufficient technical measures to prevent the misuse of its technology. The probe highlights the growing tension between rapid AI innovation and the European Union’s commitment to protecting individual digital rights and personal integrity.

Deepfake Generation and Public Safety

Central to the inquiry is Grok’s image generation feature, which critics argue lacks the restrictive filters found in competing AI models. Reports have surfaced showing the tool being used to create "deepfake" content involving public figures and private citizens without their permission. This has raised significant alarms regarding the potential for political disinformation and personal harassment. The DPC is evaluating if these capabilities breach the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which mandates that companies must ensure their products do not facilitate the unauthorized processing of personal likenesses.

Controversial Data Scraping Practices

In addition to deepfake concerns, the DPC is investigating how Grok was trained. It is alleged that xAI utilized posts and data from the X (formerly Twitter) platform from users across the EU without providing a clear opt-out mechanism or obtaining prior consent. This "harvesting" of public data for commercial AI development is a highly litigious area under EU law. Regulators are seeking to determine if xAI bypassed transparency requirements by making the data-sharing setting "on" by default, effectively forcing millions of users to contribute to the model’s evolution unknowingly.