The European Union wants to ban AI tools that undress without consent

While artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly prevalent in many applications, its potential abuses continue to worry European institutions.

Among these, the creation of non-consensual sexual content from real images is generating growing political mobilization. Indeed, in Brussels, MEPs now want to take things a step further by more strictly regulating these practices…

A targeted ban on “nudation” tools

As reported in a press release, the European Parliament is moving towards a ban on technologies capable of generating sexual deepfakes. More specifically, the Civil Liberties and Internal Market committees adopted an amendment targeting so-called "nudation" systems. In practice, these tools rely on artificial intelligence to create or manipulate intimate images of real, identifiable people without their consent. This practice, according to several MEPs, has already caused significant harm. MEP Michael McNamara advocates a firm stance, denouncing applications that generate "a great deal of suffering for the benefit of a few." Kim van Sparrentak, for her part, sees it as a significant step forward, particularly for the protection of women and minors. The text still needs to be submitted to all MEPs for a vote in plenary session scheduled for March 26. If this is approved, negotiations with member states will then be necessary to arrive at a final and applicable version.

The triggering effect of the Grok affair

This regulatory tightening comes in a context marked by several recent controversies, one of the most significant concerning Grok, available on Elon Musk's social network.

The tool had temporarily allowed users to generate sexualized images from real photos, including those of women and children. This feature quickly sparked a strong reaction in Europe, prompting authorities to open an investigation. Under pressure, xAI subsequently restricted access to certain features and assured that it would block the generation of sexually explicit images, but only in jurisdictions where such content is illegal. A first step in France and Spain? In parallel with this case, the member states of the European Union have already approved a Franco-Spanish proposal along the same lines. This proposal aims to ban AI services capable of producing non-consensual sexual images, as well as child pornography. This convergence between the Parliament and the member states illustrates a shared desire to more strictly regulate sensitive uses of AI, at a time when technological capabilities are evolving rapidly.