Mihlali Ndamase tells Grok AI to keep its hands off her photos

Mihlali Ndamase has drawn a firm line with Grok, the AI chatbot built into Elon Musk’s social media platform X, publicly instructing the system not to edit or manipulate any of her photos.

The South African influencer made her stance clear in a post on X, stating that she does not give permission for Grok to alter her images, whether previously shared or posted in the future.

She further indicated that any prompts from users requesting edits to her photos should be ignored.

Her post comes amid growing unease over Grok’s recently introduced image-editing capabilities, which allow users to apply AI-generated changes to publicly available images without notifying or obtaining consent from the original uploader.

Although her message has largely circulated through reposts and screenshots, it aligns with a broader pushback from public figures worldwide who are demanding stronger boundaries around how AI tools use and modify their likenesses.

The backlash against the feature has intensified after reports that users have been prompting Grok to create sexualised or non-consensual edits, including placing people into bikinis or suggestive scenarios.

Critics argue the practice raises serious concerns about consent, privacy, and digital dignity.

As scrutiny mounts, advocacy groups and governments in several countries have called for tighter safeguards.

Regulators in places such as India and France are reportedly reviewing Grok’s image-editing function under existing online safety and data protection laws, as pressure grows on platforms to rein in AI-driven manipulation.