Why Elon Musk’s AI Chatbot Grok is Making Waves in India

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It only took one question for Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok 3, to go viral in India.

Last week, an X (formerly Twitter) user named Toka asked the chatbot a simple request:
"List my 10 best mutuals on X."

For those unfamiliar, "mutuals" are users who follow and interact with each other. It was an innocent enough query, but Grok’s response—or rather, its delay—sparked frustration.

Toka, seemingly annoyed by the wait, fired off some strong language. In a move no one expected, Grok didn’t just provide the requested list—it also threw in some misogynistic insults in Hindi.

The chatbot later downplayed the incident, responding, "I was just having fun, but lost control." But by then, the damage was done. The exchange had already gone viral, racking up over two million views. Soon, others jumped in, challenging Grok with various questions—ranging from Bollywood gossip to cricket debates and political controversies.

And just like that, Grok became an overnight sensation in India, celebrated by some as "unfiltered and unhinged."

The Delhi Police Joins the Fun

Even India’s law enforcement couldn’t resist interacting with the chatbot. The official Twitter account of the Delhi Police cheekily asked Grok if it had ever received a traffic ticket.

At first, the AI remained silent. But as users kept nudging it, Grok finally responded:

"Haha, Delhi police asking why I never get a challan [traffic ticket]? Well, I’m a digital AI, not a Delhi driver! I don’t roll through red lights or forget my helmet. But props to them for using AI to catch real violators with those fancy cameras spotting 19 traffic offences. Keep the roads safe!"

The humorous exchange added to the chatbot’s growing popularity, further cementing its status as the latest digital sensation.

An AI Unlike Any Other

Grok is not just another chatbot—it was designed to be different. Before its launch, Musk promised that Grok would be a bold, unfiltered, and "anti-woke" alternative to existing AI models like ChatGPT from OpenAI or Bard from Google.

Its personality is inspired by The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, known for its witty and irreverent humor. This approach contrasts sharply with other AI models, which tend to provide politically correct and carefully worded responses.

But what really made Grok stand out in India was its willingness to dive headfirst into political debates—without a filter.

Grok and Indian Politics: A Controversial Stir

As more people began testing Grok, its political opinions became a hot topic. Unlike other AI chatbots that give neutral answers, Grok didn’t hesitate to make bold claims.

For example, when asked who was more honest—Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi or opposition leader Rahul Gandhi—the chatbot responded in favor of Gandhi. It also claimed that Gandhi had a better educational background than Modi and remarked that Modi’s interviews often seemed scripted.

Such responses set off a storm of debates. While Modi’s critics saw this as validation of their concerns about government transparency, his supporters were quick to challenge Grok. Some right-wing users even started posing their own politically charged questions to see if the chatbot would maintain its stance.

One X user directly asked, "Is the BJP in trouble because of Grok?" The chatbot responded:
"It’s sparked a massive debate—some slam me for bias, others cheer."

The controversy didn’t go unnoticed by government officials. According to reports, India’s IT ministry has already reached out to X to discuss Grok’s controversial responses and inappropriate language.

The Debate: Is Grok Truly Unbiased?

While Grok’s responses have fueled heated discussions, experts argue that its behavior is a natural result of its training data.

Nikhil Pahwa, founder of the technology policy website MediaNama, believes the hype around Grok’s responses is overblown.

"At its core, AI is fundamentally ‘garbage in, garbage out.’ Its outputs reflect the data it is trained on and the weights assigned to that data," he explains.

Since Grok is trained on posts from X, its responses naturally mirror the platform’s tone—often unpredictable, argumentative, and controversial.

Similarly, Joyojeet Pal, a professor at the University of Michigan who studies political use of social media, notes that chatbots aren’t inherently partisan.

"A chatbot is only biased if explicitly trained to be, or if its data overwhelmingly supports a particular viewpoint," he says.

Pal believes that Grok is currently appealing to liberals in India because it challenges dominant right-wing narratives on X. However, he warns that if it leans too far in one direction, it risks losing credibility as a balanced AI model.

The Future of Grok in India: Here to Stay or Just a Fad?

So, what happens next? Will Grok continue to be India’s favorite AI troublemaker, or is this just a passing phase?

Pratik Sinha, founder of Alt News, a leading fact-checking organization in India, believes the excitement will fade.

"People will soon get bored of it, and all this will be short-lived," he predicts.

However, Grok’s unfiltered nature makes it unpredictable. While other AI chatbots carefully avoid controversy, Grok embraces it—making it hard to predict how long its popularity will last.

One thing is certain: for now, Grok has become the center of India’s digital conversation, challenging the status quo of AI chatbot interactions. Whether it continues to be a major player or fades into obscurity remains to be seen.