The Wearside professor behind new legislation outlawing deep-fake images on Grok and other AI tools
A Wearside professor has played a leading role in the introduction of a new law to criminalise the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfake images.
The Government yesterday (January 13) confirmed it will bring into force a law which will make it illegal to create non-consensual intimate AI images.
The Government also plans to unveil legislation to make it illegal to supply online tools, such as Grok, to create such images.
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer made the announcement after the UK watchdog Ofcom said there had been "deeply concerning reports" of X’s AI tool Grok being used to create and share undressed images of people, as well as "sexualised images of children".
It has now been revealed that Durham University professor of law Clare McGlynn played a crucial law in formulating the new legislation.
A university spokesperson said: “Professor McGlynn, in Durham Law School, has played a central role in positively shaping public debate over the past few weeks, explaining the legal situation, the harms of deep-fake abuse and recommending law and policy reforms.
“Her research has been critical to designing the legal responses to the problem of AI generated deep-fakes.
“As well as criminalising the creation of sexually explicit deep-fakes, the new law also prohibits asking others to generate them. This provision was developed together with the expertise of Associate Professor Gemma Davies of the Law School.
“Professor McGlynn worked with politicians to draft the legislation, briefing government ministers, civil servants, voluntary groups, and campaigners to ensure it was adopted.
“She first recommended this law in April 2024 following a huge rise in the creation and sharing of nude and sexualised deep-fake images using AI technology.”
Yesterday (January 13) Sunderland Central MP Lewis Atkinson hit out at X and Grok saying “no woman or child should live in fear of having their image sexually manipulated by technology”.