Malaysia’s decision to end the block on the AI image and text generator came after a similar move by the Philippines earlier this week.
Malaysia announced on Jan. 23 that it would lift its ban on Grok following X’s implementation of measures so that the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot complied with local law on safety.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said in a statement that the temporary access restrictions would be lifted effective from Friday, “following confirmation of the implementation of additional preventive and security measures by the platform.”
The decision came after the MCMC said on Jan. 12 it would block Grok, developed by Elon Musk’s xAI, amid scrutiny over the use of the AI chatbot to generate sexually explicit images.
X then announced on Jan. 14 that it would “geoblock the ability” of all X users “to generate images of real people in bikinis, underwear, and similar attire,” in countries where it is illegal.
The MCMC said in the statement it held a meeting with representatives of X on Jan. 21 “to obtain clarification and commitment from the X platform regarding preventive measures and compliance with Malaysian laws, where X confirmed that the necessary security measures have been implemented on the Grok application.”
The communications commission said that its lifting of restrictions remains subject to continued monitoring by the country’s authorities, and that “any failure to comply or violation of Malaysian laws will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the provisions of the law in force.”
X’s Safety unit said last week that it was working to add additional safeguards and remove illegal content, saying, “We remain committed to making X a safe platform for everyone and continue to have zero tolerance for any forms of child sexual exploitation, non-consensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content.”
Philippines Lifts Restrictions
Malaysia’s decision to end the block on the AI image and text generator came after a similar move by the Philippines earlier this week.
The Philippines’ Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center said in a statement on Jan. 21 that xAI had pledged to modify Grok specifically for the country, “including the omission of image/content manipulation features that allowed for deepfake creation and the total exclusion of pornographic content, particularly child sexual abuse material.”
