A coalition of Texas House Democrats is formally calling on Attorney General Ken Paxton to launch an investigation into Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence platform, Grok. The legislative push follows reports indicating that the “embattled” chatbot has received support and potential contracts from the Pentagon, raising questions about the tool’s suitability for government defense applications.
The controversy stems from the specific nature of Grok, developed by Musk’s company xAI. Unlike competitors that maintain strict content guardrails, Grok is marketed with a “rebellious streak” and fewer filters. Lawmakers expressing concern point to the risks associated with integrating an AI model known for its loose content moderation and potential for generating unverified information into Department of Defense operations. The Democrats argue that the lack of rigorous safety protocols, which has previously drawn criticism from tech ethicists, makes the software a potential liability for national security and public safety.
This request places Attorney General Paxton in a politically complex position. Paxton has established a reputation for aggressively litigating against Big Tech firms, frequently investigating companies like Google and Meta over data privacy and perceived content bias. However, Paxton has historically maintained a strong alliance with Elon Musk, celebrating the relocation of Tesla and X (formerly Twitter) to Texas. By invoking Paxton’s own precedents regarding tech accountability, Democratic lawmakers are challenging the Attorney General to apply the same scrutiny to Musk’s ventures as he does to other Silicon Valley giants.
Supporters of Musk’s AI initiatives argue that Grok offers a necessary alternative to what they perceive as the “woke” biases of mainstream AI models, suggesting that military applications require diverse technological options. Conversely, critics maintain that state oversight is essential to prevent experimental or unstable AI systems from being deployed in sensitive government sectors without adequate vetting. As of this report, the Attorney General’s office has not released a statement regarding the potential investigation.
