Elon Musk’s X says its AI chatbot Grok won’t be able to edit photos of real people in revealing clothing in places where that is illegal. The announcement followed a backlash over sexualized images of women and children, including bans and warnings by some governments.

A statement posted on X said it has taken technological measures to stop users from editing images to show real people in bikinis, underwear and other revealing attire. It said the rule applies to paid subscribers as well as others. It added that any image creation or editing will now be available only to paid subscribers so those who abuse the technology can be held accountable.

Wall Street steadies as chip stocks bounce back

Stocks steadied on Wall Street. The S&P 500 rose 0.3% Thursday, breaking a two-day losing streak and edging back toward the all-time high it set on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.2%. Nvidia and other formerly high-flying AI stocks helped lift the market after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., a major supplier to the industry, reported strong profits and investment plans.

Also helping to calm the market were oil prices, which eased sharply on hopes for calming tensions in Iran. Treasury yields and stocks of smaller companies rose following encouraging reports on the U.S. economy.

Iranian officials accused of repressing protests

The U.S. is imposing new sanctions on Iranian officials accused of repressing protests against Iran’s theocratic government. The Treasury Department on Thursday targeted the secretary of the Supreme Council for National Security for allegedly calling for violence against protesters.

The sanctions also affect 18 people and companies involved in a shadow banking network linked to Iranian financial institutions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. supports the Iranian people’s call for freedom and justice. The sanctions block access to U.S. assets and business but are mostly symbolic as many targets lack U.S. funds. Iran’s foreign minister tells Fox News Channel “terrorist elements led from outside” Iran made the protests turn violent.

Kathleen Kennedy steps down from Lucasfilm

Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down from Lucasfilm after more than 13 years. The Walt Disney Co. announced Thursday that Dave Filoni will now lead “Star Wars.” Filoni and Lynwen Brennan, president and general manager, will take over.

Kennedy, chosen by George Lucas, oversaw a lucrative but contentious period since Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012. Under her leadership, the franchise earned over $5.6 billion at the box office. Filoni will focus on creative aspects, having worked on projects like “The Mandalorian” and “Ahsoka.”

Recalls

Minifridge recall expands after fire reports

An appliance distributor is expanding a minifridge recall that now covers roughly 964,000 Frigidaire-branded products sold in the U.S., after multiple fire reports. Following a recall of about 634,000 minifridges last year, Canada-based Curtis International is now recalling another 330,000 of different model.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that these products have electrical components that can short circuit and ignite. Owners are urged to stop using the fridges and visit the company’s website for refund instructions. The recalled fridges were made between January 2020 and December 2023.