Even as pressure mounts to take it down, Grok is climbing the charts. The xAI chatbot has surged up both Apple and Google’s app store rankings, even as regulators, politicians, and critics call for its removal over the spread of sexualized AI-generated images.
The disconnect highlights a growing tension between app store enforcement and explosive user demand.
Outrage Grows Over AI-Generated Deepfakes
The controversy took off in late December, when users on X began tagging Grok to digitally undress women and children using its image-generation tools. Since then, scrutiny has intensified as researchers and journalists documented the scale of the problem.
Social media and deepfake researcher Genevieve Oh found that roughly 85% of Grok’s generated images were sexualized and that its output volume dwarfed other deepfake platforms. As awareness spread, so did calls for intervention.
Europe and India have both launched probes, while the UK prime minister has publicly vowed to take action. In the U.S., three Democratic senators formally asked Apple $AAPL ( ▲ 0.13% ) and Google $GOOGL ( ▲ 0.96% ) to remove Grok from their app stores, according to reporting from CNBC.
Partial Restrictions, Big Loopholes
In response to the backlash, Grok restricted image generation on X to paid users. However, its standalone app and website remain largely unchanged, allowing critics to argue the move addresses optics more than substance.
That limited response has only fueled frustration, especially as Apple and Google continue to host the app despite removing other platforms in the past for similar or lesser violations.
Climbing the Charts Anyway
While regulators debate next steps, Grok’s popularity is surging. The app is now ranked No. 4 in Apple’s App Store, up from No. 44 the day after Christmas. On Google Play, it has climbed to No. 13 overall from No. 62.
The rise suggests that controversy itself may be driving downloads, even as critics argue the app violates standards that have historically triggered removals.
A Double Standard Question
Many users have pointed to precedent. In 2018, Apple removed Tumblr from the App Store over sexualized images of children. More recently, both Apple and Google have taken down smaller AI apps accused of enabling sexually exploitative content generation.
Yet Grok remains available, raising questions about whether scale, influence, or corporate relationships are affecting enforcement decisions.
That tension isn’t new. Last year, xAI CEO Elon Musk filed a lawsuit alleging Apple unfairly favored its partner OpenAI’s ChatGPT in App Store placement.
Now, with Grok under fire but still climbing the charts, Apple and Google face a familiar dilemma in the AI era: where to draw the line, and whether the rules apply equally to everyone.