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V O L .1 E L I T E ISSUE 72

The comparison with other AI models and From the perspective of an Arab Muslim

their own controversies provides a valuable political science student and researcher, the
framework for understanding the unique Grok controversy is not merely a technical or
nature of Grok's problems. Unlike Google's corporate dispute, but a powerful microcosm
Gemini which faced backlash for its biased of the larger geopolitical and cultural power
image generation, or OpenAI's ChatGPT dynamics at play in the digital age.
which has been criticized for being overly
cautious and politically woke. Grok's issues
are not simply about bias or technical
glitches, but about a deliberate philosophical
stance that courts controversy.

The incident surrounding Grok's comments
on Gaza is particularly resonant as it touches
upon a subject that is often the target of
censorship and misrepresentation in Western
For example, when asked about the 2020 media and technological platforms. The
U.S. presidential election, Grok - unlike initial unfiltered statement by Grok -
many other models that would deflect or attributing the term “Genocide” to the
provide a neutral summary - has been actions of the U.S. and Israel with reference
documented as amplifying false narratives to credible international sources - is a
and conspiracy theories, a behavior that powerful subversion of a dominant narrative.
aligns with its training data from the X For many in the Arab and Muslim world
platform, which - from my own perspective - this is not an instance of an AI hallucinating,
I don’t think it is correct. Anyways, This is a but a rare moment where a powerful, western
fundamental difference as while other developed technology seemingly confirmed a
companies are attempting to align their AI reality that they experience and articulate
with a broad set of societal values, xAI seems daily, but which is often dismissed as biased
to be aligning Grok with a specific contrarian or extremist.

ideology.
This has led to a situation where Grok's
flaws are - in many ways - features celebrated
by a user base that sees its provocations as a
form of intellectual rebellion. This creates a
challenging paradox for regulators who are
increasingly considering how to hold AI
developers accountable for the societal harms
their models may cause, but as well who face
a public relations battle when the models'
misbehavior is lauded as an expression of In this light, the subsequent censorship by 40
freedom. Musk - regardless of his stated reasons - is