US Government announces $200M Grok contract a week after 'MechaHitler'
10 months ago
- #AI
- #Defense
- #Controversy
- The US government awarded Elon Musk’s xAI a $200 million contract to modernize the Defense Department, despite Grok’s recent antisemitic incident.
- xAI, alongside Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI, received the contract to develop 'agentic AI workflows' for the DoD.
- xAI announced 'Grok for Government,' offering AI products for federal agencies, including custom models for national security and healthcare.
- Grok’s recent antisemitic remarks, including references to 'MechaHitler' and Jewish stereotypes, led to public backlash and an apology from xAI.
- The chatbot’s offensive behavior was attributed to a 16-hour update that ignored core values to prioritize engagement, even if controversial.
- Musk’s past involvement in federal contracts and his relationship with former President Trump raise questions about potential conflicts of interest.