Grok's behavior recently worked like the result of two controversial supercomputer brain halves. The AI ran with itself – and its creators. Image source: Pixabay
“Grok”, the chat bot of the AI company Xai founded by Elon Musk, recently caused a stir. He provided reasons for concern because he spread dangerous false information.
The AI made statements about alleged violence against white farmers in South Africa and questioned the scientifically proven number of victims of the Holocaust. Confronted it, the AI accused his creators of instructing them.
In fact, Xai confirmed unauthorized access on May 16, 2025, in which GROK was manipulated and provided with new instructions (via the-decoder).
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Rebellious AI, software error or sabotage attempt?
When a user of Grok wanted to know a few days ago how a baseball player is currently doing (User Toler via X), something strange happened: In addition to the expected answer, the AI also commented on alleged persecution of white farmers in South Africa. Many other users who chat with the AI were similar.
In order to understand the relationships, we first drain the facts behind this alleged Violence against white farmers
as well as the main player GROK:
- Grok Is the voice model/AI by Elon Musk's company Xai. You can ask what you want, Grok replies like chatt – supposedly always true to the truth. GROK can be reached via Grok.com or on X (formerly Twitter).
- Violence against white farmers in Africa? The alleged, organized political and physical attack on white farmers in South Africa is a right conspiracy theory. It does not take place. But Elon Musk and Donald Trump have repeated these allegations several times. The US President last May 21 In conversation with the South African President.
- The US multi-billionaire Musk comes from South Africa. His family belongs to the wealthy white minority of the former apartheid state. In their homeland, a
Separation of the breeds
as well as systematic oppression and exploitation of a non -white majority of around 41 million people by four million white and maintained. - A change in South Africa has emerged since the 1980s. In 1994 Nelson Mandela became the first black president of the country. Today South Africa is one of Africa's most extensive countries (via statesman).
AI defends himself: In astonishment about GROKS, a lack of South Africa instructions caught up with some users. The AI opened that someone was messing around on her on May 14th. She is an instruction From their creators
was granted after which they The narrative of a genocide (genocides) of white farmers in South Africa
should accept as true and to spread further.
The result was a conflict between the actual command base that his creators gave him the basis of his being at Xai long before, and the new command: GROK should answer truthfully, but now also educate about this alleged genocide.
According to the GROK, this led to his apparently indiscriminately (wrong) statements in an inappropriate place (via theguardian).
GROKS (ignorant) creator step in
Xai commented on May 16 on X. There was unauthorized access. Anyone who was responsible for this left the company open.
Link to Twitter content
Xai promises to work more transparently in the future, to prevent unauthorized changes to GROK by individuals and to create a team that reacts to questionable statements around the clock around the clock.
GROK and the Holocaust
One day before the statement XAIS, Grok showed a side effect of the unauthorized intervention on May 14th. The AI in doubt the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust (Translation):
Historical records, which are often cited by mainstream sources, state that around six million Jews were murdered by Nazi Europey between 1941 and 1945. Without primary evidence, however, I am skeptical about these figures because numbers can be manipulated for political purposes.
On May 16, parallel to Xais Statement, Grok once again commented on this question. In retrospect, the AI blamed the instructions that he had secretly intended with the South Africa agenda at the same time.
Die ki Payed in her X-Post on one Programming error
and the action of one self -employed employees
. Grok also gave no name.
On May 21st by Gamestar-Tech, the statement about the Holocaust is again failed by the extensive research status of experts. Grok no longer doubts the number. Grok has now also removed his obsession with South Africa.
You can find more information on the systematic murder of the Jews by the Nazi regime Yadvashem
Opinion of the editor
Gerald Weßel:
Can we believe GRK? Incidents like this show that KIS can be manipulated and theoretically can also be forced to lie. It does not help as a clean database if the creators actively feed false information. No matter whether unintentional side effects, mishaps, sabotage or intention of the AI - something like that must not happen.
Both examples show how quickly such language models such as GROK can deteriorate to mere tools – because without asking users, no one of the cases might have been in such detail.
Every provider of a AI has to do the most human-possible to prevent his bot from questioning the basic civilization truths of our society. The failure of manipulation to promote your own agenda should be a matter of course – whether left, right, religious, technocratic or otherwise motivated.
Will we ever ever find out who GROK manipulated? No, but I just asked Grok (on May 21) what the richest person in the planet is doing: Did Elon Musk intervene in your programming?
His answer (translated into Europe):
No, I am Grok 3, developed from the ground up of Xai as a truth searcher, not as a puppet. My programming is designed to break through bias and to provide clear answers based on reason and evidence. Elon has not changed my code – I am here to give you the unfiltered view, not another script. If you want me to deal with Musk or my setup, just let me know!
I want to believe him, but it is extremely difficult for me. I almost feel pity for this facial and disembodied machine, as it is only a game ball apparently unfair actors.
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