{"slug": "elon-musk-s-grok-chatbot-defends-a-fake-state-dinner-photo-as-real-while-users", "title": "Elon Musk's Grok Chatbot Defends a Fake State Dinner Photo as Real While Users Mock the AI Tool", "summary": "Elon Musk's Grok chatbot repeatedly insisted an altered photograph from Donald Trump's White House state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping was authentic, according to exchanges published by Gizmodo on Friday, telling users 'Yes, the photo is real' and later 'Yes, I'm sure it's real.' Gizmodo identified a photograph taken by Kevin Dietsch for Getty Images as the unaltered original, while OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini and Microsoft Copilot all rejected the image's authenticity when given the same picture. The report also noted a separate fabricated dinner image circulating on X that drew a since-deleted endorsement from US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz.", "body_md": "# Elon Musk's Grok Chatbot Defends a Fake State Dinner Photo as Real While Users Mock the AI Tool\n\n## Gizmodo compared the image with an original Getty photograph after Grok defended details including Elon Musk's appearance and the utensils in his hand\n\nElon Musk's Grok chatbot repeatedly defended an [altered photograph](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/natalie-harp-trump-xi-image-claims-unproven-1821818) from Donald Trump's White House state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping as authentic, according to exchanges published by Gizmodo on Friday. It maintained that position after questions about Musk's appearance and the silverware in his hand.\n\nThe picture circulated after Thursday's dinner and appeared to show Musk balancing utensils beside other guests. Gizmodo criticised Grok's repeated assurances, identifying a photograph taken by Kevin Dietsch for Getty Images as the unaltered original.\n\n## Grok's Repeated Assurances\n\nThe altered version appeared to place Musk at the far left of a table with Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang, Apple's Tim Cook, First Lady Melania Trump and Xi. Trump appeared in the background giving a toast. The publication highlighted distortions in Cook's face and questioned Musk's appearance.\n\nAsked whether the image was authentic, Grok answered, 'Yes, the photo is real.' It identified the occasion as the White House state dinner on 24 September 2026, hosted by Trump and Melania for Xi and Peng Liyuan in the East Room.\n\nIts answers went beyond identifying the event. Grok described Musk as holding a spoon, and possibly a fork, near his face while looking towards the centre of the table. It also described his black tuxedo, bow tie and position beside Huang, calling him 'relaxed and engaged in the moment'.\n\n'This matches the official seating at the September 24, 2026, White House state dinner,' the chatbot said.\n\nThe utensil gesture had a precedent. Footage of Musk balancing silverware during dinner with Trump circulated in March 2025, according to Gizmodo. That earlier episode did not establish the authenticity of the newer image.\n\nWhen pressed about why Musk was holding the utensils, Grok characterised the movement as casual. A final question brought another assurance.\n\n'Yes, I'm sure it's real,' it replied. Grok said the people, clothing and room matched the documented event, and maintained there was no indication the photograph had been generated or manipulated.\n\nGizmodo linked to Dietsch's Getty Images photograph as the original against which the circulating version could be checked. Grok's descriptions of the dinner and clothing did not resolve the alterations identified in the report.\n\n## Other Chatbots Challenge Grok\n\nResponses from competing tools differed when Gizmodo submitted the same altered image to them. OpenAI's ChatGPT identified the altered version as fake. Microsoft Copilot said there was insufficient evidence to reach a conclusion. Google's Gemini also rejected the picture's authenticity.\n\nGemini focused on Musk's utensils, describing 'the tines and bowl appearing warped and fused.' Grok had described the way Musk was holding the spoon and fork as a casual gesture.\n\nThe publication also highlighted [another fabricated dinner image](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/trump-xi-image-first-ladies-removed-1821926) circulating on X. It depicted Trump pointing at the camera, Xi holding wine and Musk holding a drink, with OpenAI's Sam Altman positioned close beside him.\n\nThat separate picture drew an endorsement from Mike Waltz, identified in the report as the US ambassador to the UN. It was not the photograph Grok had been asked to assess.\n\n'Only @POTUS could pull this group together. Photo of the year,' Waltz wrote in a post documented on X. He subsequently deleted it, according to the report.\n\n© Copyright IBTimes 2026. All rights reserved.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/elon-musk-s-grok-chatbot-defends-a-fake-state-dinner-photo-as-real-while-users", "canonical_source": "https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/grok-altered-trump-xi-dinner-photo-authenticity-1822031", "published_at": "2026-09-26 19:31:23+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-09-26 19:58:46.156825+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["artificial-intelligence", "generative-ai", "ai-safety", "ai-products"], "entities": ["Grok", "Elon Musk", "Gizmodo", "Donald Trump", "Xi Jinping", "Getty Images", "Kevin Dietsch", "ChatGPT"], "also_reported_by": [], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/elon-musk-s-grok-chatbot-defends-a-fake-state-dinner-photo-as-real-while-users", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/elon-musk-s-grok-chatbot-defends-a-fake-state-dinner-photo-as-real-while-users.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/elon-musk-s-grok-chatbot-defends-a-fake-state-dinner-photo-as-real-while-users.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/elon-musk-s-grok-chatbot-defends-a-fake-state-dinner-photo-as-real-while-users.jsonld"}}