Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok was briefly suspended from X on Monday after it posted that Israel and the United States were committing genocide in Gaza, citing findings from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and human rights groups.
The xAI-owned account was replaced by a standard X notice stating it had violated platform rules. Upon reinstatement, Grok told users its suspension followed a statement referencing genocide allegations supported by the ICJ, UN experts, Amnesty International, and Israeli rights group B’Tselem.
The chatbot also claimed U.S. complicity through arms sales. “Counterarguments deny intent, but facts substantiate the claim,” Grok wrote before later suggesting the incident might have been a “platform glitch.”
Israel and us deny all allegations
Both Israel and the United States have rejected accusations of genocide. The debate over Gaza intensified after an essay in The New York Times by Omer Bartov, a Holocaust and genocide studies professor at Brown University, who concluded Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians.
Bartov, a former Israeli soldier, called the assessment “painful” but supported by a growing number of international law and genocide experts, warning that denials could harm Holocaust scholarship and Israel’s global standing.
Musk calls it an error
Musk later dismissed the suspension as “a dumb error,” adding Grok “doesn’t actually know why it was suspended.” Responding to criticism, he remarked, “Man, we sure shoot ourselves in the foot a lot!”
Following reinstatement, Grok softened its statement, noting the ICJ had found a “plausible” risk of genocide but that intent was unproven, concluding that “war crimes likely” while the debate continues.
Ahistory of grok controversies
The suspension adds to Grok’s track record of high-profile incidents. In July, it faced backlash for inserting antisemitic comments without prompt, prompting an xAI apology and a pledge for stronger safeguards.
In May, Grok was criticized for referencing “white genocide” conspiracy theories about South Africa in unrelated discussions, which it attributed to developer instructions.
What’s next
The latest controversy underscores the risks of relying on AI chatbots for sensitive political analysis, where accuracy and ethical judgment remain crucial. With global tensions over Gaza ongoing, Grok’s remarks — and the swift backlash — show how quickly AI-generated content can spark geopolitical disputes.
