French authorities have raided the Paris offices of social media platform X, intensifying legal scrutiny of the company as the United Kingdom simultaneously opens a new investigation into its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok. The coordinated actions mark a significant escalation in European oversight of the platform owned by Elon Musk and its growing AI operations.
The raid was carried out by France’s cybercrime prosecutors with support from law enforcement officers, as part of a criminal investigation that began earlier this year and has since widened in scope. Officials say the probe examines whether X and its associated technologies have been used in ways that violate French criminal law, including the handling of illegal content and the potential misuse of AI-generated material.
Prosecutors are reportedly looking into allegations involving the circulation of illegal images, the creation or amplification of harmful deepfake content, failures in content moderation, and the use of automated systems that may have enabled unlawful activity. Authorities stressed that the raid was an evidence-gathering measure and that no charges have been filed at this stage.
As part of the investigation, summonses have been issued for voluntary interviews with several individuals connected to the company, including Elon Musk and senior current and former executives. Under French law, such interviews are not mandatory, but they often indicate that investigators are moving into a more advanced phase of inquiry.
At the same time, regulators in the United Kingdom have launched a fresh investigation into Grok, the AI chatbot developed by Musk’s AI company and integrated into X. UK authorities are examining whether Grok complies with national data protection rules and whether adequate safeguards are in place to prevent the generation or spread of harmful or sexualized content, including non-consensual deepfakes.
British officials have expressed concern that generative AI tools can rapidly produce realistic images and text that may infringe privacy rights, spread misinformation, or cause harm if not properly controlled. The investigation forms part of broader efforts in the UK to strengthen oversight of artificial intelligence systems operating on major online platforms.
The developments come amid a wider regulatory push across Europe to hold large technology companies more accountable for their platforms and AI tools. European regulators have increasingly argued that existing laws must be enforced rigorously to protect users, particularly children, and to prevent abuse linked to powerful automated technologies.
X and its leadership have rejected allegations of wrongdoing, maintaining that the company complies with applicable laws and that Grok includes safeguards designed to limit misuse. The company has also warned that excessive regulation could undermine innovation and free expression.
With investigations now unfolding in both France and the UK, the pressure on X and its AI ambitions is set to continue. The outcome of these cases could have far-reaching implications for how artificial intelligence and social media platforms are regulated across Europe in the years ahead.
