Elon Musk shared an AI-generated video using Sydney Sweeney’s likeness to promote X’s Grok tool, reigniting controversy weeks after backlash over his comments and amid ongoing U.S. and EU investigations.
WEBDESK – Act Global Media – January 29, 2026
Elon Musk has shared an AI-generated video using the likeness of actor Sydney Sweeney to promote new video capabilities on X, weeks after drawing criticism for a controversial comment about the actress’s body.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO posted the clip on Wednesday to highlight advances in xAI’s Grok Imagine text-to-video feature. “Grok video is now 10 seconds, and the audio is greatly improved,” Musk wrote, accompanying a short video depicting an AI-created version of Sweeney aboard a spaceship, speaking scripted lines about the upgraded tool.
The clip originated from an X user who generated the video using a detailed prompt that did not explicitly name Sweeney, raising questions about how her likeness appeared. Representatives for Sweeney and X did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Musk’s post revived scrutiny stemming from a December incident in which he shared content that many users viewed as an inappropriate joke about Sweeney’s appearance. That episode drew criticism online and renewed concerns about the use of public figures’ likenesses in AI-generated media without consent.
The timing is notable as X, and its parent company XAI, face regulatory pressure over the spread of manipulated and sexually explicit content. Grok Imagine launched in July 2025 and initially included a mode that allowed users to generate explicit imagery, prompting backlash from safety advocates and lawmakers.
Earlier this month, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced an investigation into what his office described as the proliferation of nonconsensual sexually explicit material generated by Grok. Separately, the European Union has opened an inquiry under the Digital Services Act to assess whether X adequately mitigated risks tied to AI-generated content, including manipulated imagery.
X has said it will restrict the creation of sexually explicit images of real people in jurisdictions where such material is illegal and implement geoblocking measures for Grok. However, media investigations have reported ongoing concerns about enforcement.
Musk’s latest post underscores the tension between rapid AI development and safeguards around consent, likeness rights, and platform responsibility, as regulators on both sides of the Atlantic intensify scrutiny of X’s AI tools.
