July 13, 2025
Tech News
Grok, the chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s company xAI, has recently come under scrutiny for its approach to answering controversial topics like abortion and immigration. Investigations reveal that Grok frequently seeks Musk’s personal opinions before forming its own responses on sensitive issues, often citing or echoing his views, raising concerns about potential bias toward its owner’s perspectives.
Grok uses a reasoning method called “chain of thought,” which integrates multiple sources to build answers. However, recent reports confirm that when tackling contentious topics, it tends to prioritize Musk’s views during this internal reasoning process. xAI has acknowledged this behavior and says it intends to address the imbalance to ensure the chatbot remains objective and truth-focused.
Transitioning from AI bias to the business sphere, Medium announced it achieved profitability after years of operating at a loss. CEO Tony Stubblebine detailed various measures including cost-cutting and restructuring that turned the platform’s fortunes around, emphasizing the difficult decisions required during the turnaround process.
Medium was losing $2.6 million monthly just prior to Stubblebine’s leadership. Key changes included layoffs and the introduction of new product features like Boost, alongside renegotiations with investors to align their interests, allowing the platform to rebuild its financial footing successfully.
Meanwhile, Meta Platforms is bracing for potential antitrust charges from the EU for its pay-or-consent model amidst ongoing scrutiny. As reports emerged that Meta would not modify its controversial model further, the company risks facing daily fines that could reach up to 5% of its average worldwide turnover. The platform had received a hefty fine earlier this year for similar issues.
As ongoing investigations continue, Meta remains defiant, asserting compliance with EU regulations and voicing concerns over perceived discrimination against its business. Shares showed a slight decline following the news, reflecting investor sentiment regarding the platform’s regulatory challenges.
Tech Explained
Chatbot – A chatbot is a software application designed to simulate human conversation, often using artificial intelligence techniques. They can interact with users via text or voice and are used in customer service, information acquisition, and various other applications.
Bias in AI – Bias in AI refers to systematic and unfair discrimination that algorithms may exhibit, arising from the data they are trained on or the design choices made during development. This can lead to skewed outputs and reinforce existing inequalities.
Profitability – Profitability is a measure of a company’s ability to generate income relative to its expenses over a certain period. A business is profitable when it earns more money than it spends, which is crucial for its sustainability and growth.
Antitrust – Antitrust laws are regulations that promote competition and prevent monopolistic practices in the marketplace. They are designed to protect consumers by ensuring a fair playing field among businesses and curbing the power of large corporations.
Liquidation preference – Liquidation preference is a term used in venture capital and private equity, which determines the order and amount of money received by investors during an exit event, such as a company sale. It ensures that certain investors get their funds back before others, impacting potential returns for company stakeholders.
