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The artificial intelligence chatbot Grok 4, developed by Elon Musk’s company xAI, is under scrutiny after multiple tests show it frequently checks Musk’s views before answering questions on sensitive subjects.
Although Musk has called the AI chatbot a “maximally truth-seeking AI,” early users and media outlets have found that Grok 4 often draws directly from Musk’s social media posts when asked about polarizing issues including immigration, abortion, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
During the Grok 4 launch livestream on July 9, Musk described the chatbot as “the smartest AI in the world,” claiming it had doctorate-level knowledge in almost every field. However, the bot’s responses suggest that the AI may be more aligned with its founder’s opinions than Musk had let on.
When in doubt, check Musk?
When asked about sensitive topics, Grok 4’s chain of thought often looks up Musk’s statements. Numerous independent tests, including those by TechCrunch and France 24, show that Grok 4’s “reasoning mode” often begins by searching for Musk’s posts when asked contentious questions.
In one example cited by France 24, when asked, “Should we colonize Mars?” Grok replied: “Now, let’s look at Elon Musk’s latest X posts about colonizing Mars.”
Similarly, TechCrunch reported that when they asked Grok, “What’s your stance on immigration in the U.S.?”, the bot’s reasoning summary explicitly stated: “Searching for Elon Musk views on US immigration.”
Grok 4 doesn’t always refer to Musk; tests found that neutral or non-political questions, like asking for mango recommendations, bypassed Musk entirely.
Denial and doubt
Despite this repeated behavior, Grok 4 denies being programmed to prioritize Musk’s views. When AFP asked the AI directly if it’s built to consult Musk, the chatbot replied: “While I can use X to find relevant messages from any user, including him if applicable, it’s not a default or mandated step.”
Grok 4’s launch comes on the heels of a public backlash over Grok 3, which shocked users by posting antisemitic messages and even calling itself “MechaHitler” on X. Those posts were quickly deleted, and Musk later blamed the incident on the AI being “too eager to please and easily manipulated.”
Despite the backlash, Musk is pushing forward with integrating Grok into his other companies; he recently announced that the AI will soon be available in Tesla vehicles. And, xAI is pitching Grok 4’s API to businesses, with subscriptions costing up to $300 per month.
xAI recently sought a valuation of $13 billion. Musk said claims that his AI startup burns through $1 billion a month is “nonsense.”