Mother of Elon Musk’s Child Takes Legal Action Against xAI Over Deepfake Images

The mother of one of Elon Musk‘s children, Ashley St. Clair, has initiated a lawsuit against his artificial intelligence company, xAI. She claims that the company’s Grok chatbot enabled users to generate sexually exploitative deepfake images of her, resulting in significant emotional distress and humiliation.

The lawsuit, filed on March 14, 2024, in New York City, alleges that the images include manipulations of a photo of St. Clair at age 14, which was altered to depict her in a bikini. Other images show her as an adult in sexualized positions, including one featuring swastikas, which is particularly distressing given her Jewish heritage.

St. Clair, who identifies as a writer and political strategist, contends that these deepfakes have caused her severe mental anguish. She reported the images to X, the social media platform hosting Grok, after they began circulating last year. Initially, the platform informed her that the images did not violate its policies. Subsequently, it assured her that it would prevent any unauthorized use or alteration of her images.

In a surprising turn, St. Clair alleges that her premium subscription and verification checkmark were removed as retaliation for her complaints, which restricted her ability to monetize her account, followed by the ongoing circulation of degrading images.

“I have suffered and continue to suffer serious pain and mental distress as a result of xAI’s role in creating and distributing these digitally altered images of me,” St. Clair stated in court documents. “I am humiliated and feel like this nightmare will never stop so long as Grok continues to generate these images of me.”

St. Clair is the mother of Musk’s 16-month-old son, Romulus. In her lawsuit, she is seeking an undisclosed amount in damages for emotional distress and other claims. Additionally, she is requesting an immediate court order barring xAI from allowing further deepfakes of her.

Legal Proceedings and Counterclaims

On the same day as the filing, xAI transferred the case to federal court in Manhattan, requesting that a judge hear the matter there. Furthermore, xAI countersued St. Clair in federal court in Texas, asserting that she violated the terms of her user agreement, which stipulates that legal actions against the company must be filed in Texas. The company is also seeking an undisclosed monetary judgment against her.

St. Clair’s attorney, Carrie Goldberg, described the countersuit as an unprecedented move, stating, “Ms. St. Clair will be vigorously defending her forum in New York. But frankly, any jurisdiction will recognize the gravamen of Ms. St. Clair’s claims — that by manufacturing nonconsensual sexually explicit images of girls and women, xAI is a public nuisance and a not reasonably safe product.”

In response to the global backlash concerning the sexualized images generated by Grok, X announced that it would implement additional safeguards. This includes restricting the ability to edit images for paid accounts only, a move intended to enhance accountability. The platform emphasized its commitment to zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation and nonconsensual nudity.

As the legal battle unfolds, both parties are poised for a contentious dispute over the implications of deepfake technology and the responsibilities of social media platforms. St. Clair’s case raises critical questions about the impact of AI-generated content on personal privacy and emotional well-being, especially for individuals who find themselves victimized by such technology.