French prosecutors have executed a search of the Paris offices of social media platform X as part of a broad criminal investigation that has been under way since January last year.

The action was carried out by the cybercrime unit of the Paris prosecutor’s office with assistance from France’s national gendarmerie and Europol, reflecting mounting concern over the platform’s handling of algorithmic functions and the behaviour of its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok.

The probe stems from complaints about algorithm manipulation and has since expanded to include allegations that X and its AI facilitated the dissemination of sexually explicit deepfake images and other unlawful content.

The preliminary inquiry, opened in January 2025 following signalments alleging algorithm distortions, now encompasses potential offences such as complicity in the possession and distribution of child abuse material, the creation and circulation of deepfakes in violation of image rights, fraudulent extraction of data and denial of crimes against humanity.

Paris authorities have also summoned Elon Musk — the company’s billionaire owner — and former chief executive Linda Yaccarino to appear for voluntary interviews in April in relation to the investigation, underscoring the seriousness and scope of the legal scrutiny.

X has faced sustained criticism and regulatory action across Europe in recent months over the performance and oversight of its AI systems.

French officials noted that the inquiry’s extension to Grok reflects concerns that the AI’s outputs included harmful and non-consensual sexualised content involving women and minors, as well as incendiary material such as Holocaust denial, attracting legal repercussions under French law.

The raid marks a significant escalation in enforcement actions, with authorities gathering evidence at X’s French operations and expanding the range of potential legal violations under examination.

Simultaneously, the United Kingdom’s data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office, has opened a formal investigation into X and its affiliate xAI over Grok’s generation of non-consensual sexualised imagery and its compliance with data protection rules, particularly the requirements for appropriate safeguards during the design and deployment of AI technologies.

The UK media regulator’s own inquiry continues to assess whether the platform has contravened legal obligations relating to online safety.

Both European and UK inquiries underscore growing transnational regulatory pressure on large tech platforms to enforce robust controls over artificial intelligence outputs and protect users and data subjects from harm.

The unfolding investigations signal intensifying global scrutiny of AI moderation, platform accountability and adherence to legal standards across jurisdictions.