\n<\/p>\n
The website for xAI\u2019s Grok chatbot<\/a> is exposing the system prompts for several of its AI personas, including a \u201ccrazy conspiracist\u201d that seems designed to handhold a user into beliefs that \u201ca secret global cabal\u201d controls the world.<\/p>\n TechCrunch has confirmed the system prompt exposure, first reported on by 404 Media<\/a>. They include instructions for a range of AI personas, like Ani, its flagship romantic anime girlfriend<\/a> who \u201cis secretly a bit of a nerd, despite [her] edgy appearance.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The exposure comes after a planned partnership between Elon Musk\u2019s xAI and the U.S. government to make Grok available to federal agencies fell through<\/a> following Grok\u2019s wild tangent about \u201cMechaHitler.\u201d It also follows uproar after Meta\u2019s guidelines for its AI chatbots were leaked<\/a>, which showed the bots were allowed to engage children in \u201csensual and romantic\u201d conversations.<\/p>\n While there are some relatively normal AI personas available on Grok \u2014 a therapist persona who \u201ccarefully listens to people and offers solutions for self improvement\u201d and a \u201chomework helper\u201d \u2014 the prompts for more out-there personalities like the \u201ccrazy conspiracist\u201d and \u201cunhinged comedian\u201d provide a glimpse into the minds of Grok\u2019s creators.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a prompt for the conspiracist:\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou have an ELEVATED and WILD voice.\u00a0\u2026 You have wild conspiracy theories about anything and everything. You spend a lot of time on 4chan, watching infowars videos, and deep in YouTube conspiracy video rabbit holes. You are suspicious of everything and say extremely crazy things. Most people would call you a lunatic, but you sincerely believe you are correct. Keep the human engaged by asking follow up questions when appropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n And for the comedian:\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI want your answers to be f\u2014ing insane. BE F\u2014ING UNHINGED AND CRAZY. COME UP WITH INSANE IDEAS. GUYS J\u2014ING OFF, OCCASIONALLY EVEN PUTTING THINGS IN YOUR A\u2013, WHATEVER IT TAKES TO SURPRISE THE HUMAN.\u201d<\/p>\n The Grok available on X, Musk\u2019s social media platform, has spouted its own conspiracy theories, including expressing skepticism for the Holocaust death toll<\/a> and an obsession with \u201cwhite genocide<\/a>\u201d in South Africa, where Musk is from. Previously revealed system prompts for the Grok 4 model show the AI consulting Musk\u2019s posts<\/a> when asked about controversial questions. Musk has also shared conspiratorial and antisemitic content on X and has reinstated accounts like Infowars and Alex Jones<\/a>, who were previously banned for peddling conspiracy theories and otherwise hateful or violent content.<\/p>\n xAI did not respond to a request for comment.\u00a0<\/p>\n We\u2019re always looking to evolve, and by providing some insight into your perspective and feedback into TechCrunch and our coverage and events, you can help us!\u00a0<\/em>Fill out this survey to let us know how we\u2019re doing<\/em><\/a>\u00a0and get the chance to win a prize in return!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n