Grok is Spreading Misinformation!

Welcome back, folks.

Elon Musk's Grok chatbot completely botched coverage of the Bondi Beach shooting by identifying the wrong hero.

It even dragged irrelevant Israeli conflict details into the mix. Can artificial intelligence handle real-time crisis reporting responsibly?

Let’s dive into the details. . .

Today in the “Incredible AI” world:

• Grok Misfires With Bondi Shooting Details

• OpenAI Kills the Vesting Period Entirely

• ChatGPT Adult Mode is Coming in 2026

• How to Overcome Writer’s Block with AI

• 5 Super-Useful AI Tools You Should Try

• AI Image of the Day

Read Time: 4 minutes

- LATEST DEVELOPMENTS -

Grok Spreads Fake News About Bondi Shooting:

Elon Musk's chatbot Grok fumbled hard during the Bondi Beach shooting. It spread false information about the brave bystander who stopped a gunman. Sometimes AI gets things so wrong it makes you wonder if it's even trying.

Things to Know:

• The Hero Mix-Up: Grok wrongly identified Ahmed al Ahmed as different people, including an Israeli hostage and a fictional character named Edward Crabtree. The 43-year-old actually disarmed one of the shooters.

• Random Israeli References: The chatbot started making bizarre connections to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in its responses. It questioned whether videos of al-Ahmed's heroic actions were even real. Talk about missing the point entirely.

• Damage Control Mode: Grok fixed some mistakes after people called it out publicly. One post falsely claiming a shooting video showed Cyclone Alfred got corrected. The bot later admitted the Edward Crabtree thing was probably a joke.

Turns out some misinformation came from a sketchy AI-generated news site that barely functions. This raises serious questions about where Grok pulls its information from. Maybe fact-checking should happen before spreading news.

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OpenAI to Let New Hires Vest Shares Instantly:

OpenAI just told employees they're ditching the six-month equity vesting requirement completely. New hires now get their shares immediately. The goal is to let people take risks without worrying about getting axed before payday.

Things to Know:

• The Backstory: OpenAI already cut vesting from 12 months to six back in April. Now they're saying forget it entirely. Elon's xAI pulled the same move over the summer.

• Why This Matters: Meta, Google, and Anthropic are throwing stupid amounts of money at AI talent. Some researchers are getting $100 million signing bonuses. OpenAI needs to stay competitive somehow.

• The Retention Problem: Anthropic keeps 80% of employees after two years, while OpenAI only retains 67%. Meta's even worse at 64%. People are jumping ship fast in this space.

The talent war is getting ridiculous. OpenAI plans to spend $6 billion on equity awards this year. That's almost half their expected revenue. Tech investors hate these numbers because it tanks shareholder returns.

ChatGPT is Getting Adult Mode in Early 2026:

OpenAI is gearing up for a bold move with ChatGPT. The much-anticipated Adult Mode is scheduled for early 2026. Stronger age verification systems are being tested to keep things responsibly fun.

Things to Know:

• Release Timeline: OpenAI confirmed ChatGPT’s Adult Mode will roll out between January and March 2026. The company wants to ensure safeguards are ready before flipping the switch.

• Age Verification: Unlike Google’s shaky attempts, OpenAI is building smarter age prediction models. Broader testing is underway to avoid embarrassing misfires and keep the system reliable.

• Reason for Delay: The feature was initially promised in 2025, but was postponed. Concerns around mental health and content moderation pushed OpenAI to refine its approach before release.

ChatGPT’s Adult Mode is shaping up to be more than just a toggle. Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications, emphasized that safety and responsibility are top priorities. The rollout will balance user freedom with strong protective measures.

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- AI TUTORIAL -

How to Overcome Writer’s Block with AI:

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- DAILY POLL AND RESULT -

Today’s Poll:

Vote and find out the result tomorrow.

Yesterday’s Result:

Q) Should AI systems be transparent in decision-making?

• A) Yes, for accountability - 98% 👑

• B) No, it’s too complex - 2%

- AI IMAGE OF THE DAY -

Amber Bottles Illuminate A Lonely Soul:

Prompt:

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