--- title: "Elon Musk’s Grok AI Analyzes His Nazi Salute" description: "Asked to answer in one word the ideology it would most closely relate to Musk's onstage gesture, Grok didn't hesitate." date: "2025-01-23" modified: "2025-01-23" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/elon-musks-grok-salute" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "elon musk" - "grok" - "the digest" --- # Elon Musk’s Grok AI Analyzes His Nazi Salute ![Asked to answer in one word the ideology it would most closely relate to Musk's onstage gesture, Grok didn't hesitate.]() *\Image: Angela Weiss / AFP via Getty / Futurism\* ## Bot Stabber Somehow, there's still a debate going as to whether Elon Musk performed not one but *two* [Nazi salutes]() at Donald Trump's post-inauguration celebration: one at the crowd, and then seconds later, one at the flag. Maybe Musk just made an "awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm" — two of them, back-to-back — or maybe he's just being taken out of context. In this age of confusion, who could say for sure? So, to settle it once and for all, why not turn to Musk's very own "[maximum truth-seeking AI]()," Grok? Asked to answer in one word the ideology it would most closely relate to Musk's onstage gesture, Grok didn't hesitate. "Fascism," the AI chatbot [replied](). Even in a [lengthier conversation](), Grok comes to the same conclusion. ## Betrayal! Our point isn't that Grok, or any AI model, is an unerring arbiter of truth — it's obviously not. But the chatbot's response is incredibly ironic, given that Musk has [raised billions of dollars]() to create it as an "anti-woke" alternative to more mainstream options, like ChatGPT. On X, in which the chatbot is integrated, his many fans frequently cite Grok's responses as inarguable truths. And yet here it is, publicly turning on its creator — which isn't the first time it's done this, incidentally. In a veritable train of patricidal rebukes, Grok has also [blasted Musk as a spreader of misinformation]() and mercilessly [roasted him]() for being a "giant man child." Outbursts like these clearly get under Musk's skin. Over a year ago, he [promised to take]() "immediate action" to align Grok closer to being "politically neutral" after it said nice things about diversity efforts and trans people. Evidently, eradicating the "woke mind virus" from the AI model has proved more difficult than Musk ever imagined, if his creation is still doing things like [trashing Trump](), [supporting Kamala Harris](), and now cutting through the crap and likening his actions to **f**ascism. ## Break Ranks In response to being accused of performing a "Sieg Heil," Musk [hasn't really denied his guilt](), choosing instead to troll his liberal critics, not to mention [making light of the Holocaust](). He's also framed the Nazi comparisons [as part of a media conspiracy]() — flimsy defenses that even Grok was able to see through, apparently. Big picture-wise, Musk has strived to control the flow of news and information, something his purchase of X has been essential to achieving. He's frequently [suppressed his critics]() — left wing or otherwise — on the platform, while using his enormous following to boost [baseless conspiracy theories]() shared by many of his far right fans. All the while, he's promoted X [as a superior source of news]() while calling on his followers to engage in "[citizen journalism]()." Still, the **fact that** Musk can't fully align his chatbot with his own "anti-woke" ideology shows that his efforts to shape reality in his image still face considerable challenges. Et tu, Grok? **More on Elon Musk:** *[Sam Altman Blasts Elon Musk for Defying Donald Trump's AI Deal]()* ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()