“Grok AI claimed that a video of a man disarming an attacker at Bondi Beach was actually footage of someone climbing a palm tree.”
Verdict
✅TrueConfidence
What We Found
Multiple reputable technology news outlets reported that xAI's chatbot, Grok, provided inaccurate information regarding the Bondi Beach shooting, including misidentifying the hero who disarmed an attacker and incorrectly describing footage of the event as a video of a man climbing a palm tree.
Evidence
Following the mass shooting at Bondi Beach in December 2025, xAI's chatbot, Grok, was documented by several news organizations as providing false information to users. Reports from The Verge, PCMag, and other outlets confirmed that Grok repeatedly misidentified the individual who disarmed an attacker. Specifically, the chatbot promoted a fabricated narrative involving a fictional person named 'Edward Crabtree' and, in some instances, incorrectly characterized verified footage of the disarming incident as a video of a man climbing a palm tree. These errors were attributed to the chatbot's reliance on misinformation circulating on the X platform, including content from websites created to mimic legitimate news sources.
What's Missing or Misleading
The misinformation provided by Grok was part of a broader wave of false content circulating on social media following the attack, which included the creation of fake news websites designed to spread disinformation about the identity of the person who disarmed the gunman.
Sources Reviewed (4)
Grok Caught Spreading Misinformation About Bondi Beach Shooting
Grok is spreading misinformation about the Bondi Beach shooting
Bondi shooting misinformation floods social media with fake locations, AI photos and Grok’s ‘Edward Crabtree’ claims
Fake Minns, altered images and psyop theories: Bondi attack misinformation shows AI’s power to confuse