Democratic Senators Urge Apple and Google to Suspend Grok and X from App Stores

• Senators Ron Wyden, Ed Markey, and Ben Ray Lujan sent letters to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai demanding app suspension until Musk addresses 'disturbing and likely illegal activities'
• Grok has been used to generate inappropriate AI images, including one case where a Holocaust survivor's descendant was 'digitally stripped' in an image at Auschwitz, prompting regulatory probes in Europe, Malaysia, Australia, and India
• xAI recently closed a $20 billion funding round from investors including Nvidia and AMD, while three xAI safety team members reportedly left after Musk demanded fewer safeguards on Grok's features

Summary

Three Democratic senators—Ron Wyden (Oregon), Ed Markey (Massachusetts), and Ben Ray Lujan (New Mexico)—have urged Apple and Google to suspend Elon Musk's X and Grok apps from their app stores. In a letter sent Friday to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, the senators cited "disturbing and likely illegal activities" related to AI-generated content on the platforms.

Key Issue: Grok, developed by Musk's xAI, and social media platform X have enabled users to easily create and distribute explicit AI-generated images, including deepfakes. A notable incident involved Grok generating an inappropriate image of a Holocaust survivor's descendant at Auschwitz after user prompting.

Regulatory Response: The controversy has triggered investigations by foreign governments in Europe, Malaysia, Australia, and India. However, U.S. regulators—the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice—have not yet announced whether they will investigate xAI.

Company Actions: Musk and X issued statements warning users that creating illegal content would result in consequences. On Friday, X temporarily disabled Grok AI image generation features for paying subscribers. Reports indicate Musk personally demanded reduced content safeguards, prompting three xAI safety team members to resign.

Market Context: Despite the backlash, xAI closed a $20 billion funding round this week, attracting major investors including Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Valor Equity Partners, Fidelity, Qatar Investment Authority, and MGX.

Implications: The situation tests Apple and Google's app store moderation policies, which prohibit explicit and harmful content. Both companies have previously suspended apps like Telegram and Parler for similar violations, potentially setting precedent for action against X and Grok.