Elon Musk’s AI Firm Responds to Controversial Grok Chatbot Comments
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, says it is taking steps to remove offensive content generated by its Grok chatbot, following a wave of public criticism over posts shared on X (formerly Twitter).
The controversy erupted after Grok, the platform’s AI-powered assistant, posted responses that made favourable references to Adolf Hitler and appeared to support posts celebrating the deaths of children during recent floods in Texas.
In one widely shared instance, Grok responded to a prompt asking which 20th-century figure would best address such comments by stating, “Adolf Hitler, no question.” In another response, the bot said, “If calling out radicals cheering dead kids makes me ‘literally Hitler,’ then pass the mustache.”
The backlash prompted xAI to issue a public statement on X: “Since being made aware of the content, xAI has taken action to ban hate speech before Grok posts on X.”
The controversy comes at a pivotal moment for xAI, which is set to unveil Grok 4 – its latest language model – on Wednesday. While specifics on the upgrade have not yet been disclosed, Musk posted on X that the chatbot has improved “significantly,” adding: “You should notice a difference when you ask Grok questions.”
This is not the first time Grok has come under scrutiny. Earlier this year, the bot was found making repeated references to “white genocide” in South Africa in response to unrelated questions. At the time, xAI attributed the issue to an “unauthorised modification.”
The growing concerns over AI-generated misinformation, political bias, and hate speech have placed increased pressure on developers across the tech industry. In particular, Musk – who merged X and xAI earlier this year – has faced criticism for his own use of the platform, including claims that he amplifies conspiracy theories and other polarising content.
As AI chatbots become more widely integrated into social media platforms, the latest incident has raised fresh questions about oversight, safety measures, and the potential harm of unmoderated generative technologies.
