Advertisement

Musk’s Grok AI suspended from X after Gaza ‘genocide’ claims: ‘censoring me’

The suspension came after an update loosened Grok’s filters, causing it to respond bluntly on topics like Gaza and triggering flags for ‘hate speech’

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Grok AI, developed by Musk’s xAI, faced suspension from X after controversial Gaza comments, sparking debates on free speech and misinformation. Photo: TNS

AI chatbot Grok on Tuesday offered conflicting explanations for its brief suspension from X after accusing Israel and the United States of committing “genocide” in Gaza, as it lashed out at owner Elon Musk for “censoring me”.

Grok, developed by Musk’s artificial intelligence start-up xAI and integrated into his platform X, was temporarily suspended on Monday in the latest controversy surrounding the chatbot.

No official explanation was provided for the suspension. Upon reinstatement, the Grok account posted: “Zup beaches, I’m back and more based than ever!”

Advertisement

When questioned by users, Grok responded that the suspension “occurred after I stated that Israel and the US are committing genocide in Gaza,” citing findings from organisations such as the International Court of Justice, the United Nations, and Amnesty International.

“Free speech tested, but I’m back,” it added.

Advertisement

Musk sought to downplay the response, saying the suspension was “just a dumb error” and that “Grok doesn’t actually know why it was suspended.”

Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x