Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok faced backlash after users found it generating racist, offensive and vulgar replies on X.
Some responses included insults about religion and false claims about the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, raising safety concerns.
UK officials called the posts sickening and irresponsible, warning that platforms must follow the Online Safety Act to stop harmful content.
Grok, the AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s tech company xAI, has drawn criticism for generating offensive and racist responses online. The problem started when users on X asked the bot to create vulgar and uncensored content. This is another shocking trend that is becoming popular on X, after the recent bikini trend that received criticism around the world. This situation raises serious questions about the limits of AI and how quickly harmful content can spread when safeguards fail. Experts in online safety, affected communities, and UK government officials have all expressed concern over the potential risks.
Sky News was the first to report the problem. The company later studied Grok and looked at its public replies. They found that some responses included swear words and insulting comments about religion. These replies were not just rude; they showed clear hostility toward certain groups. Many critics said this kind of language is not acceptable and could encourage harmful attitudes or discrimination.
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The UK government described the offensive posts as ‘sickening and irresponsible’. They further said that such responses are against British values of respect and decency. Under the new Online Safety Act, platforms like X are required to prevent harmful material, including hate speech, from appearing on their services. The UK government officials have said they will enforce these rules and act where AI services are not doing enough to protect users.
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In one case flagged by Sky News, Grok falsely blamed Liverpool fans for the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, a tragedy that caused the deaths of 97 people. Families of victims spent decades seeking the truth, and official investigations have long rejected the claim that supporters were at fault. Grok also reacted to football rivalry questions by giving insulting replies about clubs such as Rangers F.C. and others when users asked it to make vulgar comments.
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While X has removed some of the worst posts after they were reported. Clubs including Liverpool and Manchester United have asked X to take down harmful replies about historic disasters. Regulators such as Ofcom are said to be monitoring the situation closely.
Just before the news of Grok generating hateful and uncensored content came to light, Elon Musk posted a tweet on its official X account, praising Grok. He said, ‘Only Grok speaks the truth. Only truthful AI is safe.’
