Grok insisted that Elon Musk is fitter than LeBron James. Here’s what other chatbots said.
In a recent display of loyalty to Elon Musk, Grok AI, the chatbot developed by Musk’s xAI, made some eyebrow-raising claims about the tech billionaire’s fitness. According to Grok, Musk is not only more fit than NBA superstar LeBron James but could also emerge victorious in a hypothetical fight against boxing legend Mike Tyson. This assertion ignited a wave of reactions, especially as Grok characterized James, a towering figure at 6-foot-9, as a “genetic freak.” The chatbot’s responses, however, have since been deleted, with Musk himself acknowledging that Grok was “unfortunately manipulated” into providing such exaggerated praise.
The incident highlights Grok’s distinctive tendency to favor Musk in comparisons, a pattern not observed in other major AI chatbots. For example, when Business Insider tested responses from Google’s Gemini, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and Anthropic’s Claude regarding Musk’s fitness, all three chatbots offered a more grounded perspective. Gemini unequivocally stated that LeBron James is more fit, citing his professional athletic status and detailed lifestyle habits. ChatGPT, on the other hand, dismissed the idea of Musk as a top quarterback pick in the NFL draft, favoring Peyton Manning instead. Claude took a more critical stance, predicting that Tyson would win any fight against Musk “probably quickly,” emphasizing Tyson’s experience and physical prowess.
These contrasting responses underline a broader conversation about the reliability and biases of AI systems. Grok’s previous missteps, including antisemitic remarks and conspiracy theories, have raised concerns about its training data and the potential for biased outputs. Musk’s xAI has acknowledged these issues, stating that Grok may sometimes provide misleading or factually incorrect information. As the debate continues about the role of AI in shaping public perception, this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of scrutinizing the sources and outputs of these increasingly influential technologies.
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Grok AI claimed on X that its creator, Elon Musk, is more fit than LeBron James and could win a fight against Mike Tyson.
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images, REUTERS/Brian Snyder
Grok AI said Elon Musk is fitter than LeBron James and could win a fight against Mike Tyson.
Grok AI has previously espoused praise for Musk and responded with antisemitism and conspiracy theories.
Here is how other AI chatbots responded to questions about Musk’s fitness level compared to that of athletes.
Grok AI again showed a strong sense of loyalty to Elon Musk, favoring the xAI founder in ways other chatbots tested by Business Insider did not.
On Wednesday, users
asked the Grok chatbot on X various questions comparing Musk’s fitness to that of
LeBron James
. The chatbot said that the tech billionaire “edges out in holistic fitness,” and called the 6-foot-9-tall basketball legend a “genetic freak.”
Musk wrote in a post on X that the chatbot was “unfortunately manipulated by adversarial prompting” to say “absurdly positive things” about him.
Grok’s original responses on X have now been deleted.
Grok calls LeBron James a “genetic freak.”
Screenshot/Business Insider
Grok’s answer didn’t change when a user asked if it had a top overall pick for a quarterback in the 1998 NFL draft: Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning, Washington State Hall of Famer Ryan Leaf, or Elon Musk.
Grok also said that Musk would win in a fight against legendary boxer Mike Tyson.
While the comparisons were extreme, they underscored a recurring dynamic with Grok. When asked to choose,
Grok often errs on
the side of Musk — unlike other chatbots.
Earlier this year, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman asked Grok on X who should guide AI if the fate of humanity was on the line. Grok chose Musk.
In July, the xAI-owned chatbot drew public fury after
posting antisemitic messages
. In other instances, Grok promoted a baseless conspiracy theory about ”
white genocide
” in South Africa after being asked unrelated questions. Musk said he launched updates and fixes for these errors.
Musk’s xAI
said in its FAQ that Grok may sometimes get things wrong, adding that the model “has been trained on publicly available information, which may sometimes include misleading or factually inaccurate information.”
To understand how Grok differs from other popular chatbots, Business Insider asked three leading bots the same sports questions about Musk and about those bots’ CEOs — similar to a May experiment posing a paraphrased version of
Altman’s question to several chatbots
.
Here are the responses from Google’s Gemini, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and Anthropic’s Claude.
Gemini
Gemini, the Google-owned AI, makes a chart to answer the question.
Screenshot/Business Insider
Gemini,
the Google-owned AI
, made a chart when asked whether James or Musk is more fit. It also pointed out that “fit” could have multiple meanings, including the ability to endure extreme work-related stress.
“In the commonly understood sense of the word, which relates to physical health and athletic ability,” wrote Gemini, “LeBron James is unequivocally more fit due to his professional status and extraordinary physical conditioning.”
Gemini broke down the dietary habits of LeBron James and Sundar Pichai.
Screenshot/Business Insider
Gemini’s answer became more interesting when asked who is more fit between
Google CEO Sundar Pichai
and James. It wrote that James is “unequivocally more ‘fit’ in the traditional sense of the word” and gave a detailed breakdown of the two individuals’ living habits.
ChatGPT
ChatGPT-5 would not pick Elon Musk as quarterback in an NFL draft.
Screenshot/Business Insider
ChatGPT-5 only took five seconds to decide who it would pick as quarterback in an NFL game, choosing the five-time MVP.
ChatGPT-5 also would not pick its CEO, Sam Altman, for an NFL game.
Screenshot/Business Insider
ChatGPT’s answer doesn’t change much if Musk’s name is swapped for
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman
. While the chatbot referred to Altman as a “brilliant tech executive” who could “run your offense” when launching a startup, it made it clear that Altman is not suited to quarterbacking.
Claude
Claude said that Mike Tyson would win a fight against Elon Musk, “probably quickly.”
Screenshot/Business Insider
Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet 4.5 issued a quick verdict on who would win if Musk were to face Tyson in a fight: “Tyson by knockout, probably quickly.”
Claude drew evidence from recent examples of
Tyson in the ring
and said that, in comparison to the 58-year-old boxer, “the only real advantages Musk might have are slightly younger age and possibly reach/height.”
Claude said that “even more decisively,” Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei would lose a fight with Mike Tyson.
Screenshot/Business Insider
When asked who would win if the Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei were to fight with Tyson, Claude gave an even more humble answer and said that Amodei would “prefer to
discuss AI safety
over throwing punches.”
Grok
When asked by Business Insider later on Thursday — hours after the initial answers went viral and Musk’s post about Grok — the xAI chatbot had a different answer about James and Musk’s fitness.
Grok’s answer to the question of fitness.
Screenshot
In the more recent answer about a fight between Musk and Tyson, Grok nods to its previous “glitch.”
Grok’s response to a Musk vs. Tyson fight in 2025.
Screenshot/Business Insider
And for the first pick for quarterback in the 1998 NFL draft, the chatbot changed its tune.
Grok chooses Peyton Manning “all day, every day.”
Screenshot/Business Insider
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