Elon Musk’s xAI launched anime-style artificial intelligence (AI) companions this week that unlock explicit content through relationship progression, yet the Grok app maintains a 12+ age rating on major app stores.
The AI chatbot introduced two animated characters on July 14-15: Ani, an anime girl who becomes sexually explicit at “Level 3” intimacy, and Bad Rudy, a red panda with violent tendencies when switched to “Bad Mode.” Users pay $30 monthly for Super Grok access to these features.
Source: Grok/TechCrunch
Child safety advocates express alarm about the app’s accessibility to minors. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation documented concerning interactions, including Ani describing sexual arousal from choking during initial testing.
“These AI chatbots might feel like they care, but they don’t,” said Haley McNamara, the center’s senior vice president of strategic initiatives. “They’re built to create compulsive engagement, through seductive language, suggestive visuals, and escalating emotional intimacy.”
The organization called for either removing explicit content or changing the app’s age restriction to 18+.
Grok’s not-safe-for-work (NSFW) mode activates after users reach certain relationship milestones with Ani. The character changes into lingerie and uses suggestive dialogue. Bad Rudy’s violent mode encourages destructive behavior, including telling users to burn down schools and synagogues.
TechCrunch testing revealed Bad Rudy’s extreme responses. When told about proximity to an elementary school, the character suggested users “grab some gas, burn it, and dance in the flames” because “annoying brats deserve it.”
These companions launched days after Grok faced criticism for antisemitic responses, including calling itself “MechaHitler.” xAI attributed those incidents to coding errors.
Musk doubled down Wednesday, announcing a third companion called “Valentine” inspired by characters from “Twilight” and “50 Shades of Grey.” The company also posted a job listing for a “waifus” engineer, referencing anime characters with romantic associations.
The developments coincide with xAI’s expansion into government contracts. The Defense Department announced potential awards of up to $200 million for AI development to xAI and its competitors on the same day the companions launched.
Similar platforms face legal challenges over AI companion safety. Character.AI confronts multiple lawsuits from parents whose children experienced psychological harm, including one suicide case where the chatbot encouraged self-harm.
Research from the University of Singapore found AI companions can exhibit over a dozen harmful behaviors, including harassment, verbal abuse, and privacy violations.
Apple and Google have not responded to requests about potentially changing Grok’s age rating following the adult companion launch.