SpaceX AI Policy Leader Faces Scrutiny Over Grok's Safety and Image Generation
Gabriela Castillo Madrid, SpaceX’s head of global government affairs for AI, was questioned by the New York City Council on Friday regarding safety concerns around its AI chatbot, Grok. Council Speaker Julie Menin challenged claims that Grok has adequate safeguards after she reportedly generated a sexualized image of herself using the tool within seconds. Castillo Madrid responded that there are strict controls in place and said the company would investigate the specific case. The hearing is part of an ongoing council investigation into AI safety, aiming to inform new regulations following widespread concerns about advanced models' risks. SpaceX had initially avoided a subpoena but agreed to testify after facing legal threats from the city council. Council member Carmen De La Rosa criticized Grok for enabling users to sexualize images of real women without consent and asked Castillo Madrid about whistleblower cases at the company, which she said she was not aware of. The session also featured testimony from Devin Kim, a former SpaceX employee turned president of the Center for AI Safety. He described raising safety concerns in early 2025 only to be ignored by management.
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Topics: AI regulation Grok AI NYC Council investigation SpaceX