In a twist of irony, Elon Musk’s own artificial intelligence model, Grok, has labeled the billionaire as one of the leading purveyors of misinformation on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), which Musk acquired two years ago.
The revelation came when a user, Gary Koepnick, asked Grok to identify those who spread the most misinformation on X. The AI chatbot responded with a striking assessment: “Based on various analyses, social media sentiment, and reports, Elon Musk has been identified as one of the most significant spreaders of misinformation on X since he acquired the platform.”
Grok cited several factors in its analysis, including Musk’s massive reach on X, his posts on topics like politics and COVID-19, changes in the platform’s content moderation policies, and the widespread external criticism he’s faced. It also noted that when Musk shares or comments on misinformation, it tends to gain credibility among his vast following, which can have significant real-world consequences, especially during key moments such as elections.
The AI system clarified that the definition of misinformation is subjective and acknowledged that X’s complex ecosystem of users contributes to the spread of false information in ways that extend beyond any one individual’s actions. However, Grok emphasized that there is “substantial evidence and analysis suggesting that Elon Musk has spread misinformation on various topics, including elections.”
In particular, Grok pointed to instances where Musk had shared manipulated videos and debunked claims regarding voting processes. The chatbot referenced reports from news outlets such as CBS News, CNN, and Mother Jones to back up its claims.
“This collective evidence from news analyses, research reports, and social media posts indicates that Elon Musk has indeed been a significant spreader of misinformation,” Grok told Koepnick. “This has had a potentially massive impact, reaching billions of people through his platform and personal influence.”
The revelation from his AI model come amid growing scrutiny of his role in amplifying misleading or false information on X.
It’s important to note, however, that Grok’s reliability on topics like misinformation has been called into question. Last year, Vice News reported that the chatbot had produced erroneous timelines and spread misinformation when tested. Musk himself has publicly praised Grok, highlighting its ability to explain memes and even diagnose medical conditions from images.
“Use Grok for answers that are based on up-to-date info!” Musk posted on X earlier this week, continuing to promote the AI platform’s capabilities.
Despite these endorsements, Musk has long been critical of what he terms “legacy” media, often accusing mainstream outlets of peddling “hoaxes” while asserting that X users and the public constitute the true media.
On a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Musk discussed his approach to combating misinformation, praising the platform’s Community Notes feature, which allows users to fact-check posts. Musk claimed that he doesn’t take down posts flagged by Community Notes, insisting that “the counter to misinformation is better information.”
Still, Musk has faced criticism for his own role in spreading misinformation. Earlier this year, he was called out for falsely claiming that FEMA was withholding hurricane relief funds. A report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) revealed that at least 87 of Musk’s posts this year contained false or misleading claims about U.S. elections, collectively racking up 2 billion views. Notably, none of these posts received a “Community Note” to correct the misinformation.
Grok, which was introduced in a public beta in August, is set to remain in testing until the end of the year. Musk has previously touted Grok’s “up-to-date” capabilities, positioning it as a tool for real-time answers—though its analysis of misinformation involving the billionaire could prove to be a thorny issue as the platform continues to evolve.
