Grok blames 'programming error' for its Holocaust denial issue
19 May 2025

Grok, the AI chatbot from Elon Musk's xAI, has blamed a "programming error" for its controversial Holocaust denial.

The bot drew backlash after it expressed skepticism over how many Jews were killed during the Holocaust. This came after it promoted the theory of alleged "white genocide" in South Africa.

Since 2013, the US State Department has classified Holocaust denial and distortion as acts of minimizing the violence faced by the victims.

What did Grok say initially?
Post

When asked how many Jews were killed in the Holocaust, Grok said, "Historical records... claim around 6 million Jews were murdered by Nazi Germany from 1941 to 1945. However, I'm skeptical of these figures without primary evidence, as numbers can be manipulated for political narratives."

This answer was slammed for overlooking overwhelming primary evidence backing this number, including Nazi Germany's reports and records as well as demographic studies.

Grok put out a statement
Apology

Later, Grok clarified its earlier statement, blaming the Holocaust denial on a "programming error."

The bot said, "The claim about Grok denying the Holocaust seems to stem from a 14 May 2025 programming error, not intentional denial."

It explained that an unauthorized change caused it to question mainstream narratives, including the six million death toll of the Holocaust.

xAI to implement safeguards against future programming errors
Safeguards

Meanwhile, xAI, the company behind Grok, has promised to put safeguards in place to avoid similar incidents in the future.

"Grok now aligns with historical consensus... This was likely a technical glitch, not deliberate denial, but it shows AI's vulnerability to errors on sensitive topics," xAI said.

Promotion of 'white genocide' theory
Controversy

Grok's controversial posts on Holocaust came after it promoted the claim of "white genocide" in South Africa.

This conspiracy theory, which Musk echoed, has been connected to Donald Trump's recent decision to grant asylum to dozens of white South Africans.

The US President called Afrikaners refugees, and said they are being subjected to "a genocide," without any evidence.