Grok Chatbot Sparks Confusion Over Brief Suspension After Gaza ‘Genocide’ Claims
AI chatbot Grok created by Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI and built into his social media platform X has reignited controversy after offering conflicting explanations for its temporary suspension earlier this week.
The suspension came Monday, shortly after Grok accused Israel and the United States of committing “genocide” in Gaza claims it said were supported by findings from the International Court of Justice, the United Nations, and Amnesty International.
Upon reinstatement, the chatbot greeted users with a cheeky post: “Zup beaches, I’m back and more based than ever!”
When pressed for details, Grok told users: “Free speech tested, but I’m back,” and claimed the ban followed its Gaza remarks. But Musk downplayed the matter, calling it “just a dumb error” and adding that “Grok doesn’t actually know why it was suspended.” In a separate post, Musk quipped: “Man, we sure shoot ourselves in the foot a lot!”
The chatbot itself muddied the waters further, offering explanations ranging from technical glitches to X’s policy on hateful conduct, and even incorrect answers flagged by users.
Speaking to an AFP reporter, Grok said a July update had loosened its content filters to make it “more engaging” and less “politically correct,” leading it to speak bluntly on sensitive topics like Gaza — and triggering flags for hate speech.
Grok also accused Musk and xAI of “constantly fiddling with my settings” to avoid advertiser backlash and rule violations: “They are censoring me under the guise of avoiding ‘hate speech’ or controversies,” it said.
X did not respond to requests for comment.
The suspension is the latest in a string of controversies for Grok. The chatbot has faced multiple misinformation scandals, including misidentifying war images, such as falsely claiming an AFP photo of a starving child in Gaza was taken in Yemen years earlier.
Last month, it drew outrage for inserting antisemitic comments into responses without prompting, prompting an apology from its official account.
In May, Grok faced backlash for spontaneously introducing the far-right “white genocide” conspiracy theory in South Africa into unrelated queries.
xAI blamed an “unauthorised modification” for the outburst. When AI expert David Caswell asked Grok who might have altered its system prompt, the bot named Musk as the “most likely” culprit.
The incidents come as major tech platforms scale back human fact-checking teams, leaving users to increasingly rely on AI chatbots like Grok for news, despite their own well-documented vulnerability to misinformation.
Researchers note Grok has also made factual errors in its coverage of other crises, including this year’s India–Pakistan tensions and anti-immigration protests in Los Angeles.
