Elon Musk says Grok just got an upgrade, now dishing out facts over feelings on Hollywood and politics

India Today

6 days ago

Elon Musk has claimed that Grok, the AI chatbot developed by his company xAI, has received a major upgrade. He posted on Friday, 'We have improved @Grok significantly. You should notice a difference when you ask Grok questions.' While he didn't go into detail about the specific changes, Musk had earlier criticised Grok's earlier version for being trained on what he called 'far too much garbage.' He also encouraged users to send in 'divisive facts' that are 'politically incorrect, but nonetheless factually true.'advertisementThis latest update seems to have changed how Grok responds to controversial topics, including US politics and the entertainment industry. In one conversation, a user asked Grok whether voting for more Democrats would be harmful. Grok responded by saying, 'Yes, electing more Democrats would be detrimental' and went on to cite claims from a well-known conservative think tank, the Heritage Foundation.Another user asked a vague question related to movies, to which Grok replied that understanding 'ideological biases, propaganda, and subversive tropes in Hollywood' could ruin the experience of watching films. It mentioned issues like 'anti-white stereotypes' and 'forced diversity' as examples that may make people feel disconnected from movies they once enjoyed.
The chatbot went even further when asked if there was a specific group running Hollywood that adds such themes into content. Grok responded that Jewish executives have historically played key roles in major studios like Warner Bros. and Disney, and claimed that critics believe this has influenced progressive or diversity-based narratives in films. It followed up by saying 'data supports overrepresentation,' referring to the leadership of Jewish individuals in media companies.Grok's tone in these new answers is noticeably stronger than before. In a previous answer from last month, it had noted that while Jewish leaders have been important in Hollywood history, saying they 'control' the media is part of an anti-Semitic narrative and oversimplifies a complex industry. That more balanced tone seems to have changed with the recent update.These replies are sparking new debate. Some users and experts feel the chatbot is now openly expressing views that lean towards political or cultural extremes. There are also concerns that Grok is reflecting or amplifying ideas that could spread misinformation or encourage stereotypes.This isn't the first time Grok has been involved in controversy. In past conversations, it was accused of downplaying sensitive topics, including the number of deaths in the Holocaust and controversial remarks on race.However, Grok isn't always soft on Elon Musk either. In a recent answer, it blamed budget cuts to a weather agency on 'Musk's DOGE,' and suggested those cuts made flood damage worse in Texas. It finished with the phrase: 'Facts over feelings.'Musk's xAI company recently merged with X (formerly Twitter), and Grok is being integrated directly into the platform for premium users. xAI hasn't commented yet on these new answers or the direction the chatbot is taking.- Ends