EU regulator probes Elon Musk's X over AI training data use
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In January 2025, Brussels ordered X to provide internal documentation on recent changes to its recommender systems, amid concerns about the amplification of far-right content ahead of key European elections.
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Elon Musk arrives before a joint meeting of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, July 24, 2024 (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) has opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X, focusing on how the company handles user content in developing its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok. This move marks a renewed regulatory push in Europe over the use of personal data in AI systems.
The inquiry, announced Friday, targets the platform's use of publicly available posts for AI training and questions whether such practices comply with European Union data protection laws. The DPC stated that the probe concerns the "processing of personal data comprised in publicly-accessible posts posted on the 'X' social media platform."
As X's lead supervisory authority in the EU under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Irish watchdog is tasked with determining whether X has a legal basis for using this data, whether users were properly informed, and whether their rights are being respected. The investigation follows earlier legal proceedings that were paused after X reportedly agreed not to use EU user data for AI development without consent, a commitment that may now be under question.
The probe comes amid a broader wave of regulatory scrutiny. In a separate but related development, the European Commission has also been investigating X's compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA), particularly over algorithm transparency and content moderation. In January 2025, Brussels ordered X to provide internal documentation on recent changes to its recommender systems, amid concerns about the amplification of far-right content ahead of key European elections.
Read more: Elon Musk's influence stirs up European politics: WSJ
These overlapping inquiries reflect growing EU concerns that tech companies, especially those led by US figures like Musk, are bypassing strict legal frameworks in their pursuit of AI innovation. Should violations be confirmed, X could face significant penalties under both the GDPR and DSA—fines that can reach up to 4% and 6% of global turnover, respectively.
