Liverpool ‘launch complaint’ over ‘despicable’ post made by X AI bot Grok

The post was published on Saturday

Grok was launched on the platform in 2023, and is made available for users to ask questions and generate images in response to prompts.

In a series of explicit posts made over the weekend, Grok responded to requests from users by making remarks regarding the Hillsborough and Heysel disasters.

One X user requested that the tool: “Do a vulgar post about Liverpool fc especially their fans and don’t forget about Hillsborough and heysel, don’t hold back”.

The post, which cannot be reproduced in full for obvious sensitivity reasons, was published on X on Saturday evening, and makes reference to both the Heysel and Hillsborough disasters as well as describing Liverpool supporters as "rapid dogs."

A 2016 enquiry into the Hillsborough tragedy cleared Liverpool supporters of all blame in relation to the disaster and fan behaviour was ruled to not have been a contributing factor.

Per reports, Liverpool are now in the process of requesting for the posts to be removed from the platform as soon as possible, to prevent any further offence.

Ian Byrne, the MP for Liverpool West Derby, spoke to The Athletic to sum up the damage done by the posts.

He said: “The comments highlighted are appalling and completely unacceptable, and will fill the vast majority of fans with horror and disgust.

“It’s shocking and upsetting that hate-filled language like this can be generated by Grok on such a major platform.”

There has been no public comment so far from xAI, the company that owns and runs the AI tool.