Top election officials from five states are urging Elon Musk to address a problem with the AI chatbot Grok on the social media platform X. The secretaries of state from Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Washington say the chatbot has been providing false information in response to election-related questions.
According to a joint letter, Grok incorrectly detailed the deadlines for submitting ballots. The officials noted that it took 10 days for Grok to correct the misinformation and provide accurate details.
“While Grok is only available to X Premium and Premium+ subscribers and includes a disclaimer asking users to verify information, the false information about ballot deadlines has been captured and shared repeatedly in multiple posts – reaching millions of people,” the secretaries wrote. “Furthermore, Grok continued to repeat this false information for more than a week until it was corrected on July 31, 2024.”
The election officials argue that action is needed to prevent the spread of inaccurate election information online. They are requesting that Musk modify Grok’s responses to election questions so that the chatbot directs users to CanIVote.org for accurate voter information, similar to how ChatGPT handles election inquiries.
Musk has not yet responded to the letter. Grok does include a disclaimer on its election-related responses, advising users to verify any information provided by the chatbot.
