The political motivations behind Elon Musk’s new online encyclopedia, Grokipedia, are becoming clear as details of its origins and content emerge. The platform, which Musk confirms will align with his right-wing views, was suggested by David Sacks, the Trump administration’s former AI and cryptocurrency czar.
This connection to the Trump administration is significant, as Grokipedia’s content already appears to mirror conservative narratives. Musk, who himself served temporarily in Trump’s second presidency heading the “department of government efficiency” (Doge), is using the platform to combat what he calls the “mainstream media.”
The encyclopedia explicitly rejects the human-edited model of Wikipedia. Instead of volunteers, Grokipedia uses Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, to generate and “fact-check” all entries. Musk has frequently attacked Wikipedia for citing outlets like the New York Times and NPR, which he seeks to undermine.
The bias is evident in key entries. The Grokipedia article on the January 6 Capitol riot downplays the event, citing the disproven lie of “widespread claims of voting irregularities.” It also suggests the event was a “legitimate expression of grievances” against “perceived electoral flaws.”
Journalists are already flagging significant factual errors in the AI-generated content, such as a baseless claim that pornography worsened the Aids epidemic. This launch solidifies Musk’s effort to create an alternative information ecosystem aligned with his political ideology.