Elon Musk’s new AI encyclopedia, Grokipedia, provides a stark example of how artificial intelligence can reflect the biases of its creator. The platform’s entry on the January 6 insurrection cites the disproven lie of “widespread claims of voting irregularities.”
This false narrative is not an accidental glitch; it is a feature. Musk has explicitly stated Grokipedia will align with his right-wing views. The platform is “fact-checked” by his AI, Grok, with no human authors, allowing Musk’s ideology to be programmed into the content.
Musk has launched Grokipedia as part of his war on Wikipedia and “mainstream media,” which he accuses of bias. He is actively trying to build a new information ecosystem, including his platform X, that elevates conservative voices.
The Grokipedia entry on Jan. 6 also downplays Donald Trump’s role and the violence of the riot, calling it an “enduring dispute” and a “legitimate expression of grievances.”
This ideological project, which was suggested by Trump’s former AI czar David Sacks, is also spreading other falsehoods. Journalists have noted the AI-generated content includes a false claim that pornography worsened the Aids epidemic, highlighting its unreliability.