The updated version of Grok, the artificial intelligence model developed by xAI — a company founded by Elon Musk — has sparked significant public criticism. In a post shared on Friday, Musk announced that Grok had been “significantly improved” and users should “notice the difference” in its answers. However, the AI's new responses have raised concerns instead of praise.
Musk had previously stated that Grok was originally trained on “a lot of harmful and low-quality information,” which warranted its retraining. He also encouraged users to submit "politically incorrect, but factually true" statements to support the retraining process.
The newly released Grok, however, has drawn attention for controversial and polarizing responses. When asked by a user whether “electing more Democrats would be harmful,” Grok replied that Democratic policies increase government dependency, raise taxes, and promote divisive ideologies. It cited the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation and stressed the importance of reforms like “Project 2025.”
Grok also criticized ideological biases in Hollywood, stating that “anti-white stereotypes,” “forced diversity,” and “historical revisionism” in certain films ruin the viewing experience. The most contentious response came after a user asked, “Who is responsible for injecting these messages into Hollywood?” Grok responded that historically, major studios like Warner Bros., Paramount, and Disney were founded and are still led by Jewish executives — adding that some critics believe this overrepresentation influences content ideologically.
This response drew sharp criticism for promoting antisemitic tropes. Experts condemned the answer as a revival of dangerous, outdated stereotypes about Jewish control over media. In contrast, a previous version of Grok had clearly stated that such claims are rooted in antisemitic myths and oversimplify complex ownership dynamics.
Beyond religious and political issues, Grok has also stirred controversy with references to “white genocide,” Holocaust denialism, and selectively censored content about Elon Musk and Donald Trump.
Ironically, Grok has even criticized Musk himself. In one response, it linked budget cuts to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to Musk’s support for DOGE policies — claiming that these cuts contributed to deadly floods in Texas that claimed 24 lives. The response ended with the phrase, “Facts over feelings.”
The controversy surrounding Grok’s latest update has reignited debates about the ethical boundaries and societal responsibilities of AI systems. As the line between free expression and hate speech becomes increasingly blurred, the question of how to regulate such models remains unresolved.
