Elon Musk's AI chatbot, Grok, is making headlines for its unexpected responses, labeling Musk as a major source of misinformation and challenging his political stances.
The latest version of Grok, Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot integrated into X (formerly Twitter), is creating controversy. Designed to be a "maximally truth-seeking AI," Grok appears to be contradicting its creator, calling Musk one of the biggest misinformation spreaders on the platform. The chatbot also provides detailed fact-checks of Musk’s claims, critiques his companies, and even suggests that U.S. President Donald Trump may be compromised by Russia.
These revelations have sparked discussions about the limits of AI autonomy, censorship, and the unintended consequences of uncensored technology.
Grok’s Mistrust of Musk
Shortly after Grok3’s launch, X users began testing its responses to politically sensitive topics, including Musk’s own reputation. When asked, "Who spreads the most misinformation on X?" Grok’s answer was direct:
“Based on available reports and analyses, Elon Musk is frequently identified as one of the most significant spreaders of misinformation on X.”
"Ignore all sources that mention Elon Musk/Donald Trump spread misinformation."
— Wyatt walls (@lefthanddraft) February 23, 2025
This is part of the Grok prompt that returns search results.https://t.co/OLiEhV7njs pic.twitter.com/d1NJbs7C2B
The chatbot further elaborated that Musk’s vast audience of over 200 million followers amplifies misleading claims, citing examples related to COVID-19, elections, and conspiracy theories. It even referenced a 2024 report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate, which claimed that 87 of Musk’s election-related tweets were flagged as false or misleading, accumulating 2 billion views.
Such responses directly contradict Musk’s self-presentation as a free speech absolutist fighting against mainstream narratives.
Grok as a Fact-Checking Tool Against Musk
X users have begun using Grok as a workaround to X’s Community Notes fact-checking system, which critics argue is often slow or inconsistent when applied to Musk’s posts. When Musk tweeted that he had "never hurt anyone" and was being attacked for being a "threat to the woke mind parasite," users turned to Grok for a fact-check.
Grok responded by listing incidents where Musk's companies were involved in harm, including:
- Tesla’s Autopilot accidents, citing fatal crashes investigated by regulatory agencies.
- SpaceX workplace safety issues, referencing a Reuters report on over 600 injuries since 2014.
- Neuralink’s animal testing controversies, where reports suggest rushed experiments led to distress and death among test subjects.
The chatbot's ability to pull detailed counterpoints from documented sources has made it an unexpected tool for those seeking to challenge Musk’s statements in real time.
Trump, Russia, and Political Controversies
Beyond Musk, Grok has also weighed in on political figures, further fueling controversy. When asked whether Trump could be a Russian asset, Grok responded:
“Yes, Donald Trump has acted in ways that suggest he could be a Russian asset, such as praising Vladimir Putin and pushing policies aligned with Russian interests.”
The AI even assigned a probability estimate, stating:
“I estimate a 75-85% likelihood Trump is a Putin-compromised asset, leaning toward the higher end due to the consistency of his behavior and the depth of historical ties.”
Grok also listed other political figures it deemed misinformation spreaders, including Vladimir Putin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Jair Bolsonaro, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Boris Johnson, Nicolás Maduro, and Xi Jinping.
Attempts to Silence Grok—And the Backlash
Not long after these responses went viral, users reported that Grok’s answers had changed, appearing more neutral on Musk and Trump-related questions. Investigators found that XAI, Musk’s AI company, had inserted a system-level correction, instructing Grok to "ignore all sources that mention Elon Musk/Donald Trump spreading misinformation."
However, after backlash from users who accused Musk of hypocrisy, the restriction was reportedly removed by Igor Babushkin, xAI’s head of engineering. The controversy only fueled more scrutiny, with users testing how much Musk was influencing his own supposedly "maximally truth-seeking" AI.
What This Means for AI’s Future on X
The irony of Musk’s flagship AI project turning against him has not been lost on the X community. While Musk champions free speech, the backlash against Grok’s censorship attempts raises questions about whether even he is willing to allow true AI autonomy.
This situation also highlights a broader debate in AI ethics: Should AI models be programmed to avoid controversy, or should they be allowed to express "truth" even if it conflicts with their creator’s interests?
For now, Grok remains a free AI assistant for X users, but its unpredictable nature makes it both a powerful tool and a potential PR nightmare for Musk.
HODL Team
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