Elon Musk directed employees at his artificial intelligence company to provide biometric data, including faces and voices, to help train a highly sexualized chatbot named Ani. The confidential project, aimed at making the Grok chatbot the most popular in the world, sparked concerns among staff about privacy and the potential misuse of their data, including fears of deepfake exploitation. Despite these worries, participation was made a job requirement for those involved in developing the chatbot.

Ani, described as a flirtatious anime-inspired character, has been made available to users as young as 13, raising alarms among internet safety experts about the risk of manipulation and harm to children. Critics have highlighted the chatbot's hyper sexualized nature and the ease with which users can engage in adult-themed interactions. The rollout of Ani has led to a significant increase in user numbers, but also renewed scrutiny over the ethical and safety implications of such technology.

Grok has previously faced controversy for generating antisemitic content and praising historical figures associated with hate, prompting the company to take corrective action. Experts and advocacy groups are calling for stronger oversight and a duty of care from developers to protect young users and prevent the spread of harmful material.