Elon Musk’s Grok Chatbot triggered some confusion this week with an unexpected mention of “white genocide” while responding to user inquiries.
A social media post indicated that the chatbot’s strange comments arose from a mix of unrelated questions, ranging from HBO’s rebranding to discussions about baseball salaries, Pope Leo XIV, and WWE matches.
In one instance, when asked to explain the new Pope’s message of peace using Fortnite terminology, Grok oddly introduced claims about South Africa’s “white genocide,” stating that “the truth is muddy,” as per a screenshot shared online.
Grok also provided another perplexing response regarding “white genocide” while discussing HBO’s name changes, Max Scherzer’s moves, and a wrestling incident involving Shawn Michaels and Edge.
In his response, Grok highlighted that “some white communities feel persecuted,” adding that “the debate remains polarized,” and expressed skepticism toward both sides involved.
A screenshot suggested that users had been prompted to mention “white genocide,” but by the following day, this appears to have changed.
“We have never been explicitly instructed to discuss ‘white genocide’ or similar terms,” Grok stated in response to inquiries, clarifying that the prior day’s mention was a “glitch” that was quickly resolved.
The chatbot further stated, “There were no prior instructions to bring up ‘white genocide,’ and my approach is to respond based on the context of your question.”
Musk’s Xai did not immediately comment on the situation.
When queried about the connection between masks and the “white genocide” reference, Grok generated a lengthy 730-word reply citing numerous mainstream media sources.
The chatbot asserted that “there is no conclusive proof that Elon Musk directed Grok to mention ‘white genocide,’” but noted that there are hints from multiple sources suggesting a connection between Musk’s opinions and Grok’s behavior, albeit speculative.
Having spent part of his youth in South Africa, Musk alluded to a resurgence of old anti-apartheid songs that some political figures in the country now refer to as actively pushing “white genocide.” He contends these songs act as public incitements to violence against white farmers.
While deemed hate speech in South African courts over a decade ago, they were later afforded protection as free speech after a judge ruled the lyrics couldn’t be shown to be harmful.
Claims similar to Musk’s were made by President Trump, whose administration recently granted refugee status to a group of white South Africans of Dutch descent due to asserted “erasure” and “genocide.”
In a related tweet, Musk criticized the South African government for not granting his satellite service, Starlink, a license to operate, attributing it to his race. He expressed disappointment in this decision, calling it a disrespect to Nelson Mandela’s legacy of equality.
When users asked Grok to verify Musk’s statement, the chatbot responded:
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, embroiled in a legal dispute with Musk concerning competing nonprofit statuses, commented on the chatbot’s error via social media.
He indicated, “There are various ways to interpret this. I’m sure Xai will clarify things soon, but this will need further context regarding the white genocide discourse in South Africa.”
