After Elon Musk promoted his chatbot, Grok, as a reliable source of “up-to-date info,” the bot named him “one of the most significant spreaders of misinformation on X,” saying that Musk shares false information with billions of users on his platform.
What Is Grok AI?
Grok is a large language model (LLM) that is designed to rival ChatGPT and Bard. Elon Musk's xAI company introduced the chatbot in early November 2023, and it focuses on advancing scientific discovery.
xAI reflected on Grok's unconventional inspiration, emphasizing that the bot incorporates a jocular and witty streak.
“Grok is designed to answer questions with a bit of wit and has a rebellious streak, so please don’t use it if you hate humor!” the company said in an announcement on November 3, 2023.
Although xAI operates independently, it collaborates closely with Musk's endeavors, including X and Tesla.
This partnership gives Grok a distinctive advantage, as it can access real-time updates through X.
xAI subtly criticized its competitors, noting that Grok is willing to answer “spicy questions” that other AI systems often avoid. The company also highlighted its broader mission: creating tools that “assist humanity in its quest for understanding and knowledge” while catering to diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
While Grok is currently in its early stages, xAI opened a waitlist for access. However, only verified X users will enjoy priority use of the AI chatbot.
Grok: Musk Is ‘One of the Most Significant Spreaders of Misinformation on X’
Ironically, despite Elon Musk promoting Grok as a reliable source of “up-to-date info” in a recent post on X, the AI quickly turned on its creator.
When a user named Gary Koepnick recently asked Grok to identify the biggest spreader of disinformation on X, the AI did not hesitate, naming Musk himself as “one of the most significant spreaders of misinformation on X,” according to Fortune magazine.
“Based on various analyses, social media sentiment, and reports, Elon Musk has been identified as one of the most significant spreaders of misinformation on X since he acquired the platform,” the chatbot wrote, later adding “Musk has made numerous posts that have been criticized for promoting or endorsing misinformation, especially related to political events, elections, health issues like COVID-19, and conspiracy theories. His endorsements or interactions with content from controversial figures or accounts with a history of spreading misinformation have also contributed to this perception.”
The user also asked Grok if Elon Musk spreads misinformation to billions of people, and the AI clearly highlighted that Musk’s vast following and high visibility mean any misinformation he shares quickly gains traction and perceived legitimacy among his audience.
According to Grok, [This] “can have real-world consequences, especially during significant events like elections.”
The AI noted that defining misinformation often depends on the reader’s ideological perspective. It also emphasized that many other actors, including bots, contribute to the spread of misinformation.
U.S. States Ask Musk to Fix Grok Over Election Misinformation
In early August 2024, Secretaries of State from five U.S. states accused Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, of spreading misinformation related to the November 5 elections.
They urged Musk to take immediate action to fix the issue on his social media platform, X, to prevent the AI from influencing voters with inaccurate information.
“As Secretaries of State whose offices and 37 million constituents were recently impacted by false information provided by your platform, we are calling on you to immediately implement changes to X's AI search assistant, Grok, to ensure voters have accurate information in this critical election year,” the officials from Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Washington, Michigan and New Mexico said in an open letter to Musk.
Trump Appoints Elon Musk to Lead New 'Government Efficiency'
Elon Musk actively campaigned for Donald Trump during the November elections.
On November 12, Trump announced that Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will lead the newly established “Department of Government Efficiency.”
According to The Guardian, the department will operate outside the federal government. Musk and Ramaswamy will provide the White House with “drive large-scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to government never seen before,” Trump said.
Trump described their mission as fostering an “entrepreneurial approach to government never seen before.”
Read More
No Increase in Suicide Rates Following Trump’s 2024 Election Victory
Inconsistencies Permeate Recent Reporting on Imane Khelif's Allegedly Leaked Medical Report
