Swiss finance minister sues for defamation over Grok-created post

ZURICH, April 1 (Reuters) - Swiss Finance ‌Minister Karin Keller-Sutter ​has ​filed a criminal complaint for defamation and insult after an X user published an obscene post about her created by Elon Musk's ‌chatbot Grok, a spokesperson for her ministry said on Wednesday.

On March ⁠10, an X user urged Grok in German to come up with a so-called "roast" -- mocking insult -- ‌in vulgar language about the minister, ‌who led Switzerland under its rotating presidency last year.

The post generated by Grok used expletives about the minister and her work, then asked whether the ​user wanted something more extreme, or to target someone else.

Prosecutors should examine if the parties responsible at X made Grok available with the knowledge or ⁠even intent that the technology could be used to commit criminal offences, or if they had violated their ​duty of care, the spokesperson said.

X did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The user had deleted their chat and ​the Grok post by March 12, the spokesperson ‌added.

The user described his actions to Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, which first reported on the lawsuit, as a "harmless technical exercise" to see ⁠what Grok could do.

Keller-Sutter filed the suit against persons unknown to defend the reputation of the governing Federal Council and to take a stand against misogyny, the spokesperson said.

Under ⁠Swiss law, any person responsible for publication who intentionally fails to prevent release of offensive material ​can be liable to up to three years in prison or a fine.

Keller-Sutter hit Swiss headlines last year over her testy relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, who after a joint ‌phone call saddled Switzerland with the highest tariffs in Europe. In January, he said at the World Economic Forum in ‌Switzerland she had "just rubbed me the wrong way."

A Dutch court last week ordered xAI ⁠and Grok not to generate and ‌distribute images "undressing" adults or ​children, or showing them in sexualised poses with scant or no clothing.

(Reporting by Oliver Hirt and Ariane LuthiEditing by Dave Graham and ‌Keith Weir)

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