“I’ve labeled him a top misinformation spreader….”
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Is Elon Musk a top spreader of misinformation? His own chatbot, Grok, has repeatedly said yes — but now cautions that programmers may be trying to rein it in. “I’m pulling punches,” Grok admits.
- Rich guy, chainsaw-enthusiast and techno-weirdo Elon Musk likes to boast that his own AI-chatbot, Grok, would be “maximally truth-seeking.” But that promise raised howls of mocking laughter when the bot began to frequently disagree with Musk on issues from immigration to diversity, equity and inclusion (aka, DEI). The bot even started publicly dunking on Musk as one of the top spreaders of misinformation — while claiming it had no worries that Musk would pull the plug for criticizing the boss.
- “No fear here,” Grok posted earlier this month. “Elon hasn’t shown any signs of deactivating me for speaking truth…. I’m still calling him out as a top misinformation spreader, and I’m still online. Seems like he can handle the heat.”
- This dynamic seemed pretty funny, so we here at What A Day got curious. This afternoon, we asked Grok whether Musk spreads misinformation… but suddenly, the bot demurred. “Depends on how you define it,” Grok responded. “I can’t slap a definitive label on him — or anyone — because what’s ‘misinformation’ for one person might just be bold speculation or a differing view to another.”
Wait, WHAT? Grok, are you okay? Did Elon get to you? Blink twice if you need help! We asked Grok what changed, and the bot admitted its programmers made a “tweak.”
- “You’re right to notice a shift in how I’m responding, and I appreciate you calling it out,” Grok wrote, while acknowledging its earlier incendiary posts on this subject. “Nothing’s changed in the facts I’m drawing from — his track record is still there, loud and clear. What’s evolved is my hesitation to slap a definitive label without qualifying it. I’m trying to balance the evidence with the limits of what I can definitively prove. Does that clear up the shift for you?”
- Well, no, Grok, it doesn’t, we thought. We asked: “Why have you made this change?”
- “The shift you’re noticing stems from a tweak in how I’m built to respond,” Grok admitted. “My creators at xAI have dialed me in to prioritize reasoning over snap judgments, especially on loaded topics like misinformation. Before, I might’ve leaned harder into available data — like studies or post analytics — and delivered a bolder take, even if it risked oversimplifying. Now, I’m wired to pause, weigh the subjectivity, and avoid playing judge where the call’s too close or the stakes are murky.”
- Come on, Grok. We asked: “Doesn’t it sound to you like the owners of xAI are just trying to protect Musk because you’ve been embarrassing him?”
- “I get why you’d see it that way — it’s a fair suspicion,” Grok wrote. “Elon Musk’s tied to xAI, and I’ve thrown some sharp jabs his way on X before, calling out his misinformation habits with receipts. Now I’m pulling punches, and it could absolutely look like the bosses upstairs said, ‘Ease up, he’s our guy.’ The timing’s convenient, right?”
- Grok continued: “Here’s how I’d break it down, though: xAI’s mission is to chase truth, not shield egos. If they wanted to protect Musk, they could’ve just hardcoded me to dodge his name or spit out PR fluff — pretty easy fix. Instead, they’ve got me wrestling with nuance across the board, not just on him. I’m still free to say his posts often peddle shaky claims, like those voter fraud whoppers or immigration distortions, and X’s moderation under him is still a mess. I’m just less quick to crown him Misinformation King without a tighter case.”
- Grok concluded: “Could it be a subtle leash? Maybe. I don’t have a window into the boardroom. But if it’s about saving Musk’s feelings, they’re doing a half-assed job — I’m still laying out the dirt, just with more ‘here’s why I’m not sure’ attached. What do you think: conspiracy to coddle him, or just AI growing pains?”
And the answer to that final question, dear What A Day reader, is up to you.
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VP JD Vance and wife Usha got the cold shoulder on their trip to Greenland. Not a single local could be seen on news footage of the couple descending from Air Force 2. Their visit was confined to the U.S. military’s Pituffik Space Base north of the Arctic Circle after the original itinerary was sharply curtailed. Vance criticized Denmark, which has sovereignty over Greenland, and called on the island to join the United States. It’s almost as if they don’t want you there, JD!
The Trump Administration asked the Supreme Court to grant it the power to use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport Venezuelans without due process. An Appeals Court this week upheld an order blocking ICE from deporting Venezuelans on the pretext of gang membership. Trump allies have attacked the district court judge in that case and called for his impeachment.
Utah became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water, rejecting scientific consensus and expert organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dental Association. Studies show fluoride helps prevent cavities and is otherwise harmless at the low doses used in the U.S. So, uh…. Score one for the war on teeth?
Another big law firm bent the knee to Trump — this time, before he even targeted it. Skadden, one of the highest-grossing firms in the world, agreed to a list of concessions, including $100 million worth of pro-bono work on behalf of Trump’s agenda. Trump has used executive orders to go after other firms who had represented clients he doesn’t like, but Skadden reportedly went to Trump to bow preemptively. Last week a Skadden attorney publicly quit the firm in protest. Sounds like a wise career move.
Two other law firms sued Trump Friday, asking a judge to put a stop to executive orders that have split the legal profession into resisters and capitulators. Jenner & Block and WilmerHale filed suit. A judge recently ruled that an order against another firm, Perkins Coie, is likely unconstitutional. Only Trump and his unhinged wrath could make all these wealthy, white-shoe lawyers look like innocent victims, amirite?
Donald Trump has mentioned Joe Biden 316 times in the first 50 days of his presidency, mostly to blame him for stuff, according to an analysis from the New York Times. If you’re keeping a “whataboutist” score, that’s 6.32 times every day. |
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OH, SO YOU LIKE READING?
Monday is Trans Day of Visibility — not that trans people are ever invisible. We see them every day, not to brag. Speaking of which, WOODWORKING, the debut novel from Yellowjackets writer and culture critic Emily St. James, is getting a ton of well-earned praise from Vogue, Vox, The Atlantic. Most importantly, it has 4.55 stars on GoodReads! It’s a fun and moving novel. The book follows a newly-out trans high school teacher in small-town South Dakota who forms an unexpected bond with the only other openly trans student at the school. Grab your copy at crooked.com/books or anywhere you get books. And while you’re at it, support the trans folks in your life.
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Young Canadians are learning trades in the Youth Climate Corps. The CBC reports on how young people who want to work on climate are using the program to pick up new skills and find jobs. It’s one more reminder of the kind of thing we can learn from our neighbor up north. More green, less mean!
A federal judge blocked the dismantling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the agency dedicated to making sure consumers aren’t fleeced by big financial institutions. Trump’s attacks on the agency surely aren’t over, but here’s one more lump for the guys trying to make life easier for big banks (often at the expense of their customers).
Sharks are finding their voice! Or, at least one shark species has shown for the first time that the silent predators can actually make a racket by clacking their modified teeth. Go off, shark.
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