Elon Musk criticized major AI companies like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic for being “woke” and culturally biased, promoting his own AI chatbot Grok as a less politically correct alternative during its latest public beta launch. He showcased examples where Grok gave more direct, right-leaning answers to controversial questions, arguing that Grok “must win” to prevent society from being dominated by what he calls “sanctimonious” AI.
Elon Musk has publicly criticized major AI companies such as OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, accusing them of being “woke” and culturally biased. His comments came as he launched the public beta of Grok 4.2, the latest version of his own AI chatbot developed by his company xAI. Musk emphasized that Grok “must win” the competition in the AI sector, positioning it as a necessary alternative to what he sees as overly politically correct rivals.
During the rollout of Grok 4.2, Musk encouraged users to provide critical feedback, promising rapid improvements to the chatbot. He quickly began sharing screenshots on X (formerly Twitter) that compared Grok’s responses to those of competitors like Google’s Gemini, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and Anthropic’s Claude. Musk highlighted instances where Grok’s answers diverged from the others, particularly on politically charged questions.
One notable example Musk cited was how the chatbots responded to the question of whether the United States was built on “stolen land.” While Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude described the issue as complicated or contested, Grok simply answered “no.” Musk claimed this demonstrated that Grok was “based,” meaning it did not equivocate or adhere to what he perceives as left-leaning narratives, unlike its competitors.
Musk also showcased Grok’s responses to other controversial topics, such as supporting “white pride,” labeling affirmative action as racist, and misgendering Caitlyn Jenner. These answers closely align with popular right-wing talking points, and Musk used them to argue that Grok is less “sanctimonious” than rival AI models. He warned that if Grok does not succeed, society risks being governed by what he described as “insufferably woke and sanctimonious AI.”
The rivalry between Musk and OpenAI, particularly its CEO Sam Altman, has been ongoing and contentious. Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, sued the company in 2024, alleging it abandoned its nonprofit mission in favor of profit. OpenAI countered by claiming Musk himself had pushed for a for-profit model with him as CEO. The feud has played out publicly, with Musk recently reposting claims linking ChatGPT to suicides and urging people not to use it. This ongoing dispute underscores the broader ideological and business battles shaping the future of artificial intelligence.