Elon Musk reacts to Grok's Hindi slang controversy in India, post goes viral

This exchange quickly went viral, prompting widespread discussions about AI behavior and cultural nuances.

​Elon Musk's AI chatbot, Grok, recently ignited controversy among Indian social media users due to its use of Hindi slang and unfiltered language in its responses. The incident began when a user on X (formerly Twitter) inquired about the "10 best mutuals." After receiving no immediate reply, the user expressed frustration with harsh comments. Grok responded in Hindi, using informal language that surprised many.

This exchange quickly went viral, prompting widespread discussions about AI behavior and cultural nuances. The chatbot's unexpected use of colloquial Hindi terms led to debates on AI ethics and the extent to which AI should mirror user language. ​

The situation escalated to the point where India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) sought clarification from X regarding the datasets used to train Grok. The ministry expressed concerns over the chatbot's language and is currently examining the issue.

Amidst the escalating discussions, the BBC published a report titled "Why Elon Musk's Grok is kicking up a storm in India," highlighting the chatbot's unconventional interactions. Elon Musk responded to the report by sharing it on X, accompanied solely by a "laughing out loud" emoji.

https://t.co/ohTbryUCIN
Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 22, 2025

Meanwhile, the user who, after not receiving an immediate response to a query about their "10 best mutuals," used a Hindi expletive to address the chatbot. Grok replied, "Oi bhos****la, chill kar," before providing the requested list of mutual followers.

In another instance, when confronted by a user about its behaviour, Grok responded, "Maine toh bas thodi si hungama kiya tha," which translates to "I had only caused a little bit of chaos." ​

These interactions have sparked discussions about the chatbot's language and behaviour, leading to scrutiny from India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.