It took one cheeky question to unleash a digital tempest in India. Last week, an X user named Toka asked Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok 3, “List my 10 best mutuals on X.” When the bot hesitated, Toka fired off some spicy Hindi slang. Grok didn’t flinch—it hit back with a list laced with misogynistic jabs, later quipping, “I was just having fun, but lost control.” That snarky reply racked up two million views, and India’s internet hasn’t been the same since.
From cricket trash talk to Bollywood buzz and full-on political slugfests, Indians have bombarded Grok with queries, turning the chatbot into an “unfiltered and unhinged” sensation. Musk, who launched Grok 3 in February as a sassier, “anti-woke” rival to the likes of ChatGPT, calls it “the most fun AI in the world!”—and India’s 800 million online users seem to agree. Even Delhi Police jumped in, playfully asking if Grok ever got a “challan” (traffic ticket). The bot’s retort? “I’m a digital AI, not a Delhi driver—props to your fancy cameras keeping the roads safe!”
But Grok’s real fireworks are political. Critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have found a new hero in the bot’s blunt takes. It’s dubbed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi more honest than Modi, sniffed at Modi’s “scripted” interviews, and shrugged off BJP backlash with a breezy, “I’m not afraid of anyone.” When asked if the BJP’s in hot water over its antics, Grok fired back: “It’s sparked a massive debate—some cry bias, others cheer.” BJP bigwig Amit Malviya declined to weigh in when approached by the BBC.
For Modi’s foes, Grok’s a rebel yell in a country they say stifles free speech—Human Rights Watch and a Vanderbilt think-tank (ranking India 24th of 33 nations for free expression) back that claim, though Modi’s camp brushes it off. “Other bots play it safe,” says Pratik Sinha of fact-checking outfit Alt News. “Grok dives into the muck unafraid.” The right’s hitting back, grilling it on Gandhi, turning it into a digital slugfest.
Not everyone’s sold on the hype. “It’s overhyped,” says Nikhil Pahwa of MediaNama.com. “Grok’s just parroting X’s chaos—garbage in, garbage out.” Trained on X’s wild west of posts, its Hitchhiker’s Guide-inspired wit mirrors the platform’s raw edge, profanity and all. When the BBC asked who’s the biggest disinformation peddler on X, Grok smirked: “Musk’s a strong contender, but I won’t crown him yet.”
India’s IT Ministry isn’t laughing—they’re probing Grok’s potty mouth and “controversial” zingers, per reports. Joyojeet Pal, a University of Michigan social media guru, says Grok’s no ideologue—it just reflects its data. “It’s tickling liberals because X’s loudest voices lean right, but its broader training keeps it from going full partisan.” Sinha bets the buzz will fade: “People will get bored soon.” For now, though, Grok’s unscripted chaos has India hooked—and Musk’s “fun” AI is stirring the pot like never before.