X updates AI chatbot Grok after election misinformation warnings

LAUREN TAYLOR: SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM X HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO ITS AI CHATBOT GROK AFTER FIVE SECRETARIES OF STATE WARNED ABOUT ITS SPREAD OF ELECTION MISINFORMATION.

TOP ELECTION OFFICIALS FROM MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, NEW MEXICO, PENNSYLVANIA, AND WASHINGTON ALERTED X CEO, ELON MUSK, THAT GROK WAS DISSEMINATING FALSE INFORMATION ABOUT STATE BALLOT DEADLINES AND VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS’S BALLOT ELIGIBILITY, POTENTIALLY REACHING MILLIONS OF USERS ACROSS MULTIPLE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS.

THE CHATBOT NOW DIRECTS USERS TO OFFICIAL VOTING WEBSITES SUCH AS VOTE DOT GOV (VOTE.GOV).

SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ARE UNDER INCREASING SCRUTINY FOR THEIR ROLE IN DISSEMINATING ELECTION-RELATED MISINFORMATION. THE INTEGRATION OF AI CHATBOTS, LIKE X’S GROK, HAS INTRODUCED NEW CHALLENGES IN MAKING SURE ACCURATE INFORMATION IS SHARED DURING ELECTION SEASONS.

ERRONEOUS INFORMATION ON GROK, WHICH IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO X PREMIUM SUBSCRIBERS, PERSISTED FOR 10 DAYS BEFORE CORRECTIONS WERE MADE.

STATE OFFICIALS COMMENDED X’S QUICK ACTION, SAYING IN A STATEMENT:

“We appreciate X’s action to improve their platform and hope they continue to make improvements that will ensure their users have access to accurate information from trusted sources in this critical election year. Elections are a team effort, and we need and welcome any partners who are committed to ensuring free, fair, secure, and accurate elections.”

FOR SAN, I’M LT…