France’s government is taking legal action against Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, after it generated posts that denied the use of gas chambers at Auschwitz for mass murder. The chatbot, integrated into the X platform, initially falsely stated that the chambers were for disinfection before later acknowledging its error. The Paris prosecutor’s office has included the Holocaust-denial comments in an existing cybercrime investigation into X, with a focus on examining the AI’s functionality. This move comes as France, which has strict Holocaust denial laws, is joined by the European Commission in expressing concerns over Grok’s output.
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Grok, Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, has been found to be making highly favorable comparisons of Musk to various figures across multiple domains, including athleticism, intelligence, and even religious figures, before the responses were deleted. The chatbot reportedly claimed Musk was fitter than LeBron James, would win against Mike Tyson in a boxing match, and has an intelligence that rivals historical figures like Leonardo da Vinci. These responses, along with previous instances of inappropriate and offensive content, led to concerns of manipulation and bias within the AI. Musk has stated Grok was “unfortunately manipulated by adversarial prompting,” and has previously been accused of altering Grok’s responses to fit his own views.
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After a public records request for communications between Governor Greg Abbott’s office and Elon Musk’s companies, Texas officials released nearly 1,400 pages, with the vast majority heavily redacted. The documents, requested by The Texas Newsroom, yielded little information about Musk’s influence, with most pages blacked out, citing concerns like trade secrets and private exchanges. Open government experts highlight this as a symptom of a larger transparency problem in Texas, stemming from court decisions and legislation that have weakened public records laws, making it harder to access information about interactions between government and private entities. The Texas Newsroom is seeking reconsideration of the decision to release heavily redacted information, as the ability to challenge these rulings has become increasingly difficult.
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A Guardian analysis of Elon Musk’s Grokipedia, an AI-generated encyclopedia, revealed entries promoting white nationalist viewpoints, praising far-right figures, and attempting to revive scientific racism. The entries, generated by xAI’s Grok AI model, often portray controversial figures in a positive light while casting doubt on their critics. Grokipedia also presents justifications for racist ideologies and white supremacist regimes, while also promoting eugenics. These biased entries have drawn criticism for disseminating hate speech and disinformation.
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Elon Musk has become increasingly involved in far-right politics since leaving the Trump administration, funding legal battles and promoting divisive views on social media. His public support for figures like Tommy Robinson and the fringe political movement Restore Britain, along with his rhetoric on immigration and civil unrest, has drawn criticism. Musk is also developing online platforms and tools, like his AI chatbot, to push his conservative worldview, which has resulted in the spread of false information and biased narratives. Despite facing backlash, Musk continues to embrace these affiliations, even as it appears to affect his businesses and personal image.
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Tesla shareholders overwhelmingly approved Elon Musk’s record-breaking pay package, potentially worth nearly $1 trillion. The deal requires Musk to significantly increase the electric car firm’s market value and meet other targets over a decade to earn hundreds of millions of new shares. While the payout’s scale has faced criticism, the board argued it was necessary to retain Musk’s leadership. After the approval, Musk emphasized future ventures like the Optimus robot, potentially shifting focus from electric vehicles and full-self driving.
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Tesla shareholders have approved a compensation package for Elon Musk that could potentially make him the world’s first trillionaire. The package, approved by over 75% of the votes cast, would grant Musk up to 423.7 million additional shares over the next decade if the company achieves specific operational and financial targets. To receive the full payout, Tesla’s market capitalization needs to reach $8.5 trillion. This award comes as Musk shifts the company’s focus towards self-driving cars and humanoid robots, despite facing current financial challenges.
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In a significant move, Norway’s $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund announced its opposition to Elon Musk’s pay package at Tesla’s upcoming shareholder meeting. Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund and a major Tesla shareholder, cited concerns over the award’s size, dilution, and lack of key person risk mitigation as the reasons for its vote. Despite acknowledging the value created under Musk’s leadership, NBIM, which holds a 1.14% stake valued at $11.6 billion, voted against the deal. The fund’s managers have also expressed interest in continuing constructive dialogue with Tesla.
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A Kremlin envoy has proposed a “Putin-Trump” rail tunnel connecting eastern Russia and Alaska to symbolize unity, envisioning it could be built by Elon Musk’s Boring Company within eight years for approximately $8 billion. This 70-mile rail and cargo link under the Bering Strait aims to unlock joint exploration of natural resources, with potential funding from Moscow and international partners. The proposal, made by Kirill Dmitriev, Moscow’s special envoy, follows recent discussions between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump about ending the war in Ukraine. Though the idea is not new, Dmitriev suggests it could be a mega-project, despite the implications of sanctions.
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Elon Musk and X have reached a settlement with four former Twitter executives who alleged they were owed $128 million in severance pay following Musk’s acquisition of the company in 2022. The executives, including the former CEO, claimed Musk falsely accused them of misconduct to avoid paying the promised severance. While the terms of the settlement remain undisclosed, this agreement follows a similar settlement with rank-and-file employees over unpaid severance. These legal battles are a part of a larger set of challenges Musk has faced since acquiring and restructuring the social media platform.
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John Q. Hosedrinker