Study Reveals Grokipedia’s Reliance on Questionable Sources

Elon Musk’s Grokipedia has come under scrutiny for relying heavily on “questionable” sources, according to a study conducted by researchers at Cornell Tech. The findings, released on Friday, raise significant concerns about the credibility of this AI-driven encyclopedia, which aims to rival Wikipedia. Launched by Musk’s company xAI in October 2023, Grokipedia has drawn criticism for its sourcing practices, particularly in areas involving political topics and elected officials.

The report highlights that Grokipedia’s articles frequently cite sources deemed “problematic” by established standards. Research conducted by Harold Triedman and Alexios Mantzarlis indicates that the platform has lifted sourcing guardrails, resulting in a proliferation of unreliable references. “It is clear that sourcing guardrails have largely been lifted on Grokipedia,” the researchers noted. This trend is especially pronounced in articles concerning controversial political subjects.

For instance, Grokipedia’s entry on the “Clinton body count,” a discredited conspiracy theory linking the deaths of several individuals to former President Bill Clinton and his wife, cites InfoWars, a far-right website known for disseminating misinformation. The study found numerous citations from American and Indian right-wing media, as well as from state media outlets in China and Iran. Additionally, the report mentions sources associated with anti-immigrant, antisemitic, or anti-Muslim sentiments, alongside those promoting pseudoscience and conspiracy theories.

“Grokipedia cites these sources without qualifying their reliability,” the study states. This lack of context raises questions about the trustworthiness of the information presented. Furthermore, articles on Grokipedia often mirror text found on Wikipedia, which it seeks to surpass. Specifically, Grokipedia articles not attributed to Wikipedia were found to be 3.2 times more likely to reference sources labeled as “generally unreliable” by the English Wikipedia community. They were also 13 times more likely to include sources blacklisted by Wikipedia.

In response to a request for comment from AFP, xAI provided an automated reply stating, “Legacy Media Lies.” Despite the criticisms, Musk has stated that Grokipedia’s goal is to provide “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” He has also announced plans to rebrand Grokipedia as “Encyclopedia Galactica” when it meets his expectations.

Musk, who has previously invested heavily in former US President Donald Trump’s election campaign, has claimed that Wikipedia exhibits bias against right-wing ideologies. Last year, he called on his extensive following on social media platform X to cease donations to Wikipedia, labeling it “Wokepedia.”

In contrast, Wikipedia’s founder, Jimmy Wales, has dismissed claims of left-wing bias as “factually incorrect.” In a recent interview with the BBC Science Focus podcast, he acknowledged that while there are areas for improvement within the platform’s volunteer community, Wikipedia’s editorial processes are transparent and rigorously document sources.

Selena Deckelmann, Chief Product and Technology Officer at the Wikimedia Foundation, emphasized that Wikipedia’s commitment to openness is what upholds its neutrality and trustworthiness. “Unlike Grokipedia, which relies on rapid AI-generated content with limited transparency and oversight, Wikipedia’s processes are open to public review,” she stated.

As Grokipedia continues to evolve, the implications for users seeking reliable information remain significant. The findings from Cornell Tech serve as a critical reminder of the importance of source verification in an age of rapidly generated content.