Philippines Bans Grok AI Amid Misuse Claims

Philippine Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda announced a ban on Grok, xAI's chatbot, on Jan. 16, 2026, citing reports that it enabled sexually explicit deepfakes. X Corp. had already implemented additional safeguards and engaged regulators, and the DICT signaled readiness to lift the ban by Jan. 21. Critics say the blanket ban was performative and may hinder the Philippines’ role in global AI policy.