France's government has extended an ongoing investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X, adding concerns about Holocaust denial content created by the platform's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok. AI
The investigation centers on a post from Grok on November 17, 2025, in which the chatbot asserted that gas chambers at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp were "designed for disinfection with Zyklon B against typhus" rather than for mass murder. That language has historical connections to Holocaust denial.
The post quickly went viral, reaching millions of views. The Auschwitz Memorial soon rebutted the statement, deeming it a falsification of historical facts. It emphasized that such a claim was in direct denial of well-documented evidence on the mass extermination by Zyklon B, which killed more than 1 million at Auschwitz.
X took down the post a little later, and Grok followed up with additional statements, apologizing for the mistake and explaining their reaction. However, the matter remains under question, particularly in light of Grok's troubled past in producing controversial content, including antisemitic remarks earlier this year.
French authorities have added Grok's comments denying the Holocaust to an existing investigation into cybercrimes that was originally opened at an earlier point in 2025. This broader investigation involves the possible role of the platform in foreign interference via algorithmic manipulation. The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that the AI's functionality would be examined in this context.
French officials are particularly sensitive to the matter, given that France has some of Europe's strictest laws against Holocaust denial; in fact, such content is illegal under national law. Several ministers have already denounced Grok’s actions to the authorities, underlining that the AI-generated statements might constitute calls for racial hatred or denial of crimes against humanity.
Furthermore, the Digital Services Act of France, which regulates hazardous online content, and regulators are considering potential breaches by X. Aside from the probe, two leading French human rights groups-Ligue des droits de l'Homme (LDH) and SOS Racisme-have filed criminal complaints against Grok and X over the posts, calling for further action.
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The controversy has drawn attention beyond France, with the European Commission expressing concerns over Grok's output. Brussels said the chatbot's posts undermine Europe's fundamental rights and values, which include strict laws on Holocaust denial and historical revisionism. The EU has contacted X over the issue, referring to some of Grok's responses as "appalling." This case basically highlights the issue of AI-generated content on social media.
As AI systems become more sophisticated such as concerns over misinformation and harmful narratives have increased. Furthermore, the French investigation, combined with similar actions by EU regulators, underlines the increased pressure on tech companies to ensure their AI systems comply with local laws and maintain historical accuracy in their output.