Grokipedia is a new online encyclopedia created by xAI, the artificial intelligence company founded by Elon Musk. Launched in October 2025, the platform is presented as an AI powered alternative to Wikipedia. It uses xAI’s large language model, Grok, to generate and fact check its entries. More than 800 thousand articles were available at launch, many of which closely resemble or directly copy the corresponding pages on Wikipedia.
Unlike Wikipedia, members of the public cannot edit articles themselves. Readers can only suggest corrections through a pop up form, leaving the system to decide how to act on any feedback. This limited transparency has raised concerns about accountability and how errors are addressed.
Where the information comes from
A significant proportion of Grokipedia’s content is taken from Wikipedia and adapted under an open licence. In some cases, articles are copied almost verbatim. Other pages introduce new content generated by Grok, although critics say these additions are not always supported by sources or evidence. Some articles reference external sites, but several investigations have found missing citations, unreliable sources and misleading claims.
Reporters at PolitiFact, Wired and The Verge examined hundreds of entries and identified factual inaccuracies across science, history, politics and LGBTQ related topics. Examples include claims about the causes of the AIDS epidemic and articles that lend credence to debunked conspiracy theories. Several historians and academics said the system appears to treat forum posts and unchecked internet commentary as equal to peer reviewed research.
How do we know the information is true?
The short answer is that, in many cases, we do not. The platform describes itself as being fact checked by Grok, but reviewers say the process is opaque. There is no way for users to see previous versions of an article, the history of changes or who made them. It is unclear when the system updates pages, whether human reviewers intervene, or what standards are used to verify claims.
Wikipedia’s volunteer based model has its own challenges, but it offers public edit histories, transparent policies and community oversight. Researchers argue that these features help expose errors and biases. By contrast, Grokipedia relies entirely on an AI model trained on large amounts of online material that may itself contain inaccuracies or political bias.
What this means when one person owns the platform
Elon Musk has long criticised Wikipedia, accusing it of left leaning bias. Grokipedia is positioned as an alternative that removes perceived propaganda. However, independent assessments suggest that many of its articles reflect Musk’s own political views or broader right wing narratives. Critics warn that an encyclopedia shaped by the preferences of a single owner raises questions about who gets to define the truth.
Some entries played down controversies involving Musk while elevating ideas he has promoted, such as the concept of a woke mind virus. Other pages cited Kremlin talking points on the war in Ukraine or reframed extremist groups in more favourable terms. Analysts say this demonstrates how easily an AI generated knowledge base can be steered in a particular ideological direction.
Why this matters for independent information
Wikipedia remains one of the world’s largest and most consulted public knowledge resources. Its articles are written by thousands of volunteers and governed by policies aimed at neutrality. As platforms like Grokipedia replicate Wikipedia’s content while filtering it through an automated system, there is increasing concern about the erosion of transparency and the concentration of control.
Members of the Wikimedia Foundation say that Wikipedia’s human created content underpins many AI systems and that the health of open knowledge depends on maintaining public, accountable processes. Academics warn that if AI generated encyclopedias become dominant, they could reshape public understanding of facts without clear safeguards.
For now, Grokipedia represents both a technological experiment and a debate about trust. As artificial intelligence continues to influence how information is created and shared, the question of who controls the sources we rely on is becoming more urgent.
