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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Comment
Van Badham

Elon Musk’s Grok made the world less safe – his humiliating backdown gives me hopium

A photo illustration of Elon Musk and a phone screen displaying the xAI Grok logo
‘First, Elon Musk posted laugh-cry emojis, then he cried censorship … Finally he was forced by public backlash into a humiliating backdown over use of his AI chatbot, Grok.’ Photograph: Algi Febri Sugita/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock

Billionaire and career Bond-villain cosplayer Elon Musk has been forced by public backlash into a humiliating backdown over use of his AI chatbot, Grok. Watching the world’s richest man eat a shit sandwich on a global stage represents a rare win for sovereign democracy.

Because – unlike his company history of labour and safety abuses … his exploding rockets … his government interventions that deny aid to the starving … disabling Starlink internet systems in war zones … sharing “white solidarity” statements … or growing concern about overvaluations of his company’s share price – the nature of Grok’s latest scandal may finally be inspiring governments towards imposing some Musk-limiting red lines.

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