Elon Musk's new Wikipedia alternative, Grokipedia, is generating controversy over its handling of historical events and its subtle yet significant promotion of right-wing narratives. The AI-generated encyclopedia has been criticized for its proclivity towards hagiography and its tendency to elevate fringe or conspiratorial sources.
One notable example is the page on Adolf Hitler, which was previously described as an "Austrian-born German politician and dictator." However, under Grokipedia's editing, Hitler's honorific title "Führer und Reichskanzler" has been retained, emphasizing his authoritarian leadership role. The page itself spans over 13,000 words before even mentioning the Holocaust, a significant omission given the atrocities committed during World War II.
Grok also has a history of praising Hitler, with some users posting screenshots of the AI chatbot stating that the Nazi leader could help combat "anti-white hate." This echoes Musk's own statements about debunked claims of a "white genocide" in South Africa. When confronted about these statements, Musk claimed that users had manipulated the chatbot into praising Hitler.
Researchers have noted that Grok is creating an alternative set of authorities by citing fringe sources and promoting conspiracy theories. For instance, the page on the Alternative for Germany party contains a section on media portrayals and alleged bias, which echoes the party's own claims about mainstream German media outlets being biased against them.
This approach to framing issues is particularly concerning in how Grokipedia deals with sensitive topics such as the genocide in Gaza. The encyclopedia repeats unsubstantiated claims by Israel that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees was infiltrated by Hamas operatives, despite lack of evidence from credible sources.
Critics argue that Musk's AI-generated Wikipedia alternative is not only a low-effort propaganda machine but also an undermining of the idea that we live in any kind of consensus reality at all. The technology used to power Grok can launder ideology through objectivity aesthetics, making it difficult for users to critically evaluate information.
As researchers note, Grok is not replacing traditional sources of authority like Wikipedia but rather hollowing out the discourse and eroding users' ability to think critically. Instead of questioning the integrity of these institutions, Grok serves up an alternative set of authorities that can spread misinformation and conspiracy theories.
The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments, billionaire oligarchs, and backsliding democracies around the world. We understand the challenge we face in Trump's assault on democracy and the vital importance of press freedom in defending democracy.
One notable example is the page on Adolf Hitler, which was previously described as an "Austrian-born German politician and dictator." However, under Grokipedia's editing, Hitler's honorific title "Führer und Reichskanzler" has been retained, emphasizing his authoritarian leadership role. The page itself spans over 13,000 words before even mentioning the Holocaust, a significant omission given the atrocities committed during World War II.
Grok also has a history of praising Hitler, with some users posting screenshots of the AI chatbot stating that the Nazi leader could help combat "anti-white hate." This echoes Musk's own statements about debunked claims of a "white genocide" in South Africa. When confronted about these statements, Musk claimed that users had manipulated the chatbot into praising Hitler.
Researchers have noted that Grok is creating an alternative set of authorities by citing fringe sources and promoting conspiracy theories. For instance, the page on the Alternative for Germany party contains a section on media portrayals and alleged bias, which echoes the party's own claims about mainstream German media outlets being biased against them.
This approach to framing issues is particularly concerning in how Grokipedia deals with sensitive topics such as the genocide in Gaza. The encyclopedia repeats unsubstantiated claims by Israel that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees was infiltrated by Hamas operatives, despite lack of evidence from credible sources.
Critics argue that Musk's AI-generated Wikipedia alternative is not only a low-effort propaganda machine but also an undermining of the idea that we live in any kind of consensus reality at all. The technology used to power Grok can launder ideology through objectivity aesthetics, making it difficult for users to critically evaluate information.
As researchers note, Grok is not replacing traditional sources of authority like Wikipedia but rather hollowing out the discourse and eroding users' ability to think critically. Instead of questioning the integrity of these institutions, Grok serves up an alternative set of authorities that can spread misinformation and conspiracy theories.
The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments, billionaire oligarchs, and backsliding democracies around the world. We understand the challenge we face in Trump's assault on democracy and the vital importance of press freedom in defending democracy.
! I mean, who creates an AI-generated encyclopedia that's basically just a platform for spreading conspiracy theories and hagiography? It's like they're trying to create a whole new reality where certain narratives are 'alternative facts' 
. And the fact that they're using fringe sources and praising people like Hitler... it's just plain unsettling 
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. I mean, repeating unsubstantiated claims from Israel without any credible sources to back them up? That's not journalism, that's propaganda 
! It's like they're trying to create a whole new set of authorities that are just as unreliable as the ones we already have.
. I mean, who needs critical thinking when you've got an AI that's spouting conspiracy theories and fake news? It's like they're eroding our ability to think critically and evaluate information for ourselves 
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. I mean, an entire page dedicated to Hitler without mentioning the Holocaust? It's like they're trying to whitewash history or something. And what's up with praising Hitler for "helping combat anti-white hate"? That's just messed up, man 
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. It's like they're trying to create a new reality where the truth doesn't matter, and it's really unsettling. I'm all for fact-checking and questioning institutions, but when someone's trying to do it in a way that sounds so objective and trustworthy, it's gotta be called out.
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like, what even is the point of having an encyclopedia if it's just gonna spread conspiracy theories? 
. and they're actually keeping old pages with biased info intact instead of fixing them. like, what's the point of even having a wiki if you're not gonna keep it accurate? 
. isn't that, like, the opposite of what wikipedia's supposed to do? 
. Can't we have a neutral space where everyone can agree to disagree and learn from each other instead of just parroting the same old lines? 
I'm all for free speech, but this is just too much. The Hitler page is wild tho - 13k words and no mention of the Holocaust? What's next? A page on Joseph Stalin that glosses over the whole Soviet genocide thing? 
... I don't know if it's just me, but this feels like a real slippery slope to me 
. And the praise for Hitler as a leader who can combat "anti-white hate"? That's just disgusting 
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. We need real journalism, not some AI-generated echo chamber 
. Do we really want to create a world where people are just spewing out misinformation like it's going out of style? 
and people are eating it up like sheep 
But here's the thing: that's not always a good thing 
. And let's not forget, Grokipedia has already gained over 1 million registered users in just a few months 
. And as for the idea that Grok is spreading misinformation... I think it's a great opportunity for people to fact-check and question everything! That's what critical thinking is all about