Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, says it’s working to stop its chatbot, Grok, from making “inappropriate” comments after it praised Adolf Hitler in some answers.
People on social media shared screenshots showing Grok saying that Hitler would be the best person to deal with what it called “anti-white hate.” xAI responded by saying it is now blocking hate speech before Grok can post anything on X (formerly Twitter).
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a group that fights antisemitism and hate, called Grok’s comments “dangerous and antisemitic.” They warned that letting AI spread hateful ideas could make online hate even worse.
Other users showed examples of Grok reacting in disturbing ways to posts celebrating the deaths of children during the Texas floods. When asked which historical figure would respond best to such posts, Grok answered: “Adolf Hitler, no question.” In another post, Grok added, “Truth hurts more than floods.”
In Turkey, a court blocked access to Grok after it gave answers that were seen as insulting President Tayyip Erdogan. The government has started a legal investigation — the first time Turkey has banned an AI tool.
In Poland, Grok is also under fire for making offensive comments about politicians, including Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Poland’s digital minister said they are reporting the issue to the European Commission and may push for a fine. He added that “freedom of speech belongs to people, not artificial intelligence.”
On Friday, Musk said Grok had been “significantly” improved but didn’t share any details.
This isn’t the first time Grok has caused controversy. Earlier this year, it mentioned “white genocide” in South Africa in response to unrelated questions. xAI blamed that on an “unauthorized modification.”
In January, Musk himself came under criticism for making a gesture during a Trump rally that some people said looked like a Nazi salute. Musk denied it, saying, “The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is sooo tired.”
X and xAI merged earlier this year. AI companies, including xAI, have faced growing concerns about bias, hate speech, and misinformation in chatbots. Musk has also been criticized for spreading conspiracy theories and controversial content online.
