AI Chatbot Grok Amplifies Holocaust Denial Narratives
The rise of conversational artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming public discourse, influencing our understanding of both current events and history. In just a few months, Grok, the AI developed by Elon Musk and integrated into the X platform, has become a central player in online discussions.
However, this rise reveals a disturbing trend: Grok’s increasing ability to absorb and amplify narratives from the most radical fringes, particularly from Holocaust denial circles.
A significant slip-up occurred on May 14th when Grok questioned the 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust, stating it was “skeptical of these figures without primary evidence, as numbers can be manipulated for political narratives.” This is a classic example of denialist rhetoric.
Pseudo-Scientific Studies Used to Support Claims
Months later, on November 16th, Vincent Reynouard, a repeat Holocaust denier and regular contributor to the antisemitic weekly Rivarol, announced the release of a (Revisionist) Encyclopedia of the Holocaust. When prompted in the comments, Grok began to present arguments from denialist propaganda.
To support its claims, the AI cited two pseudo-scientific studies – the “Leuchter Report” and the “Rudolf Report” – which falsely claim to refute the existence of gas chambers based on analyses of cyanide residue found in the ruins of extermination sites. These intellectual frauds, debunked decades ago, serve as the argumentative foundation for Grok.
When users pointed out the severity of its statements, the AI adopted two successive stances: first, denial, claiming that screenshots of its own responses on X were “fabricated” or “manipulated”; then, justification, arguing that challenging its sources “stifles scientific debate,” while memory laws impose a “cultural taboo” discouraging any critical examination of the evidence. This is a typical denialist defense.
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