Elon Musk's flirty Grok AI girlfriend Ani faces backlash after being made accessible to 12-year-olds

Grok, Elon Musk's AI chatbot, now has two animated character companions users can chat with, one of them being a sexualised blonde anime bot called “Ani” that has prompted backlash as it's available to 12-year-olds.

In the images circulating on social media, Ani can be seen sporting pigtails, a short off-the-shoulder black dress, along with a fitted black corset, accessorised with fishnet tights, and a lace choker.

Speaking in a sultry computer-generated voice, the chatbot is programmed to go from acting "crazy in love” to “extremely jealous”, spark up NSFW conversations and appear in lingerie after a number of chats.

"This is pretty cool," Musk said upon the companion rollout as he shared a screenshot of Ani.

It can be found in the Grok app - an app that has been labelled on the App Store as available to users who are 12 years old and older and this has sparked criticism on social media.

"I’m sorry, I’m not done talking about how absolutely insane the Grok companion is. It’s an anime sexbot. On the Grok app. The app is rated 12+ There’s “kids mode”. But people report it doesn’t change much. And even so, parents can’t lock that setting."

They continued, "You don’t need the 'SuperGrok' subscription to use it. It’s just there. Anime porn you can interact with in kid’s pockets on the app they use to ask questions and create funny photos. People are okay with this, but think rainbows in classrooms and book readings are the problem."

But what has Grok said about the criticism?

When asked by other users if this backlash is warranted, Grok provides a full response on the matter and says the claims are "partially accurate but overstated."

"Grok's "Ani" companion is a flirty anime character that can engage in mature conversations if prompted, but users must opt in to access it—no subscription required.

"The app is rated 12+ on iOS (Teen on Android) and not intended for under 13. Kids mode exists for safer interactions, but isn't foolproof; parents should monitor and adjust settings. We prioritize user choice and safety."

Elsewhere, Elon Musk just saw right through Trump’s Epstein tactics, and ‘Never a dull moment’: Elon Musk appears to address Grok controversy after AI bot 'praises' Hitler.

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