Anyone who enjoys the privilege of having time to waste can have a good time asking questions to Grok, the artificial intelligence (AI) of XElon Musk’s social network. We have asked Grok if “Musk tells lies in X”. After a few seconds ‘thinking’ about what to say about his boss – the populist tycoon who will be part of Donald Trump’s Government in January – the answer seems pretty close to a “yes”. but there is a but.
Like other artificial intelligences, Grok walks on the wire and tries not to get too wet. Give arguments for and against, support your reasoning with journalistic sources and qualify as much as possible. That is to say, he tries harder than some politicians, analysts, tweeters and self-proclaimed journalists. Grok loves the passive voice: “Musk has been pointed out”, “Musk has also been observed”… However, in the end she can’t help but be sincere. This is his response: “There is evidence that Elon Musk has shared false or misleading information on X.”
The question, which Grok does not explicitly enter into, is whether “sharing false or misleading information” is necessarily lying. It all depends on the intention. Two people can share the same false information and only one of them is lying. To lie it is necessary to know in advance that what one states or spreads is false. If someone is convinced that the Earth is flat and says “the Earth is flat,” they are not lying. He tells a falsehood, not a lie. Lying implies a breach of ethics; falsehood, no.
The same goes for spreading “misleading” information. It’s all in the intention. Does one spread it with the intention of deceiving or does one do so without knowing that it is deceptive?
Two people can share the same false information and only one of them is lying.
There are thousands of examples, but one is enough to suspect that Musk is knowingly deceiving. On September 2, in the middle of the US election campaign, he stated in X: “Kamala promises that she will be a communist dictator on the first day.” [de su mandato]”. And he adds a rhetorical question – “can you believe he’s wearing this suit?” – accompanied by an AI-generated photomontage of the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris dressed in a red military outfit and a cap with the hammer and sickle, the communist symbol. .
It is obviously false that Kamala Harris said she wanted to be a communist dictator on the first day of her term, but it is not out of the question that Musk considers “communism” modest aspirations for social justice such as greater redistribution of wealth or some market regulation. Who did express his desire to Being a dictator “for a day” was Trump. He did it on Fox News, in December 2023.
Is Elon Musk a fascist?
Grok is more equidistant when the question is “would you define Elon Musk as a fascist?” The AI tells us – with obvious twists and expressions copied from the English language – that this requires a careful analysis of its actions, statements and policies. He then presents us with “both sides of the argument.”
Again he paraphrases what others say: “some critics”, “there have been accusations of…”. In total, Grok offers three arguments in favor of calling Musk a ‘fascist’, and another three against. He also risks a final, nuanced conclusion: “While some of Musk’s actions and statements could resonate with tactics or ideologies associated with fascism, defining a person as a ‘fascist’ is complex and requires consideration of context, intent and the impact of their actions in their entirety. “Musk does not fit neatly into the traditional definition of fascism, although certain aspects of his behavior and the policies he supports may be interpreted that way by some critical observers.”
And Donald Trump?
Regarding Trump, Grok’s argument is equally equidistant (three arguments in favor, three against). Everything depends, according to this AI, on “how one interprets and applies the historical and contemporary criteria of fascism.” And he adds: “While some see significant parallels with classical fascism, others argue that their behavior and policies do not meet all the necessary criteria for such a label, preferring terms such as authoritarian populist or nationalist.”
And Giorgia Meloni?
With Giorgia Meloni the equidistance is less. Among the arguments in favor of classifying her as ‘fascist’, the AI recalls that “in his youth, Meloni praised Mussolini as ‘a good politician’ and has maintained some slogans and concepts of fascism, such as ‘God, country, family’.”
The Prime Minister of Italy is a very good friend of Elon Musk, The magnate said of her that she is “more beautiful on the inside than on the outside.”. If “inside” Musk was referring to his values and ideas, Grok does not seem to agree on beauty: “There are elements in his rhetoric that resonate with historical fascism.” Of course, the AI clarifies that “she and her party have tried to distance themselves from that label, presenting themselves as modern conservatives or right-wingers.”
Grok finds fascism ugly. We’ve also asked him and this is his response: “While there may be superficial or aesthetic aspects of fascism that some people find visually appealing, valuing fascism as ‘beautiful’ is problematic and potentially dangerous, as it underestimates or ignores the profound implications.” ethics and humanities of this ideology. “Beauty, in this context, would be a mask for the underlying moral and political ugliness.”
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