The Philippines may lift its ban on Grok, an Elon Musk-founded artificial intelligence (AI) platform, after the company pledged strict safeguards to block harmful content, including child pornography.

At a media briefing on Wednesday, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda said access to the controversial AI could be restored once all necessary safeguards to protect user data and ensure regulatory compliance are in place.

“Once we are satisfied that the appropriate protections are in place, we will proceed with unblocking access,” Aguda said.

According to Aguda, the government has actively engaged with XAI to strengthen controls on Grok, covering apps, web access, and social media. 

“Our safeguards are not just for the country—they can serve as a reference for other nations,” he added, highlighting the balance between promoting AI innovation and preventing abuse.

Grok AI came under intense scrutiny in early January after it was revealed that its system had been exploited to generate harmful content featuring real people, including public figures and celebrities. 

The platform has faced regulatory action globally due to national cybersecurity concerns, with countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, France, the European Union, and the Philippines imposing restrictions. In the Philippines, the request to block Grok was approved in under 24 hours.

High-risk features are now restricted to premium accounts, and any attempts to bypass limits using virtual private networks or other tools will be addressed directly by the platform.

Aguda said the DICT supports innovation but must intervene when clear risks are present.

The legal framework in the Philippines imposes strict penalties for online sexual offenses: cybersex offenders can face six to 12 years in prison and fines ranging from P200,000 to P1 million.

Offenses involving child pornography carry even harsher penalties, with prison terms from 12 years to life and fines exceeding P5 million.