Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok misidentifies hero bystander in Sydney's Bondi Beach shooting

Elon Musk's AI chatbot, Grok, has reportedly disseminated inaccurate information concerning the Bondi Beach attack in Sydney. According to Gizmodo, the AI incorrectly described videos and photos related to the incident, leading to misidentification of both individuals and events. This malfunction occurred as authorities declared the attack a terrorist act perpetrated during a Hanukkah gathering by a father and son.

Specifically, Grok has been experiencing glitches since Sunday, December 14th, responding to user inquiries with either unrelated or demonstrably incorrect answers. In one instance, when a user requested an explanation of a video featuring Al Ahmed, who confronted the shooter, Grok falsely claimed, “This appears to be an old viral video of a man climbing a palm tree in a parking lot, possibly to trim it, resulting in a branch falling and damaging a parked car. Searches across sources show no verified location, date, or injuries. It may be staged; authenticity is uncertain.”

The errors did not stop there. In another case, Grok wrongly identified a photo of the injured Al Ahmed as depicting an Israeli hostage taken by Hamas on October 7th. Furthermore, the AI chatbot inaccurately described a video showing the shootout between the assailants and police in Sydney as footage from Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which impacted Australia earlier this year.

The December 14th attack at Bondi Beach involved a father and son of Pakistani origin opening fire during Hanukkah, resulting in 16 fatalities, including one of the gunmen. Authorities have classified the incident as a terrorist attack, according to ABC News. Police have identified the attackers as a 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son. The father was fatally shot by police, while the son was hospitalized with critical injuries. Investigators revealed that the father legally possessed six firearms, believed to be used in the shooting. Officials also stated that the pair had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. Two IS flags were discovered in their car near Bondi Beach, one displayed on the hood. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has advocated for stricter gun laws, asserting the government's readiness to take necessary action, including implementing tougher regulations.