The tech company behind the AI chatbot Grok has formally contacted the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) in response to moves by Philippine authorities to block the service over safety concerns. This outreach comes as the government weighs or implements restrictions because of fears that the AI tool can be misused to generate harmful content, including sexually explicit deepfakes, some involving minors — a key reason regulators are considering a ban.
Officials from the platform’s owner, X (formerly Twitter), have proposed corrective measures and stronger safeguards to address content moderation issues and protect vulnerable groups such as women and children. However, DICT leaders say they expect concrete, enforceable actions rather than verbal assurances before lifting any restrictions or allowing the service to resume in the Philippines.
The government’s focus is on ensuring that AI technologies comply with local laws — including the Cybercrime Prevention Act — and don’t facilitate abuse, exploitation, or violations of user safety standards. Regulators are coordinating with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) as they assess next steps.