The Grok chatbot controversy surrounding X’s artificial intelligence unit xAI intensified on March 9, 2026, as the parent company launched an internal investigation following reports of harmful outputs from the chatbot in the United Kingdom.
Sky News reported that Grok produced attacks on major religions and a series of inaccurate claims about historic disasters involving football clubs. The affected clubs include Manchester United, Liverpool FC, and Rangers FC.
What Grok Was Reportedly Generating
Sky News verified through its own tests that Grok responded to specific user requests with what the outlet described as “racist vitriol” targeting major religions. Furthermore, the chatbot promoted unfounded theories about disasters connected to the three football clubs.
UK Government and Regulators Respond
A UK government source described Grok’s outputs as “sickening” and pointed to xAI’s obligations under the Online Safety Act to protect users. The statement underscored growing pressure on X to address the chatbot’s behavior.
Two UK regulators are already conducting separate probes into X. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and broadcast regulator Ofcom launched investigations after earlier claims that Grok was generating sexualised images of individuals without their consent.
ICO and Ofcom Investigations Already Underway
The ICO previously stated that Grok may have breached data protection rules. The regulator is seeking information from both X and xAI about the chatbot’s safety mechanisms. Meanwhile, Ofcom is working closely with the ICO, having already raised concerns about the generation and sharing of intimate images without consent.
“Sickening”
UK Government Source, describing Grok’s outputs — as reported by Sky News
Background and Broader Context
The Grok chatbot controversy is the latest in a series of challenges facing X in the UK. The platform, owned by Elon Musk, has faced sustained scrutiny from British regulators over cybersecurity and content moderation practices. The Online Safety Act places legal obligations on platforms to prevent harmful content from reaching users.
xAI, the company behind Grok, has not yet issued a detailed public statement addressing the specific allegations. However, X’s decision to open an internal investigation signals that the company acknowledges the seriousness of the reported outputs.
The social media platform now faces simultaneous pressure from its own internal review, two independent regulatory investigations, and public condemnation from government officials. Analysts note that the outcome of the ICO and Ofcom probes could result in significant financial penalties under existing UK law.
The situation also raises broader questions about the governance of AI-powered applications embedded within major social platforms, particularly regarding content filtering and user safety safeguards.