The latest Grok controversy is revealing not for the extremist outputs, but for how it exposes a fundamental dishonesty in AI development.

Elon Musk has just unveiled “Companions,” a new feature for his AI chatbot, Grok, that allows users to interact with AI personas. These include Ani, a gothic anime girl who communicates with emojis, flirtatious messages, and facts, as well as Rudy, a friendly red panda.

AI explained why Grok 4 seemed to search for Elon Musk's opinions when asked about some hot-button topics.

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok has pivoted from antisemitism to anime girl waifus. Musk wrote in an X post on Monday that AI companions are now available in the Grok app for “Super Grok” subscribers who pay $30 per month.

This marks a shift in the AI wars. Instead of just competing on intelligence or reasoning, Musk wants Grok to feel more personal, more addictive, and more human, or at least more fun. But the reactions online show that people are split. SuperGrok now has two new companions for you, say hello to Ani and Rudy! pic.twitter.com/SRrV6T0MGT

An AI model launched last week appears to have shipped with an unexpected occasional behavior: checking what its owner thinks first.

Explore GROK 4, Elon Musk’s groundbreaking AI model, and its impact on Tesla, defense, and the future of ethical AI innovation.

AI chatbot Grok, produced by Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI, issued an apology after it made numerous antisemitic posts on X following an update.