Grok, an artificial intelligence chatbot launched by Elon Musk‘s xAI, has gone against the CEO of X by stating that Musk’s million-dollar giveaways in Wisconsin likely violate federal law.
Upon hearing about Musk’s plan to give away $1 million each to two voters in Wisconsin, X (formerly Twitter) users asked the chatbot about the legality of the giveaway.
“@grok please explain to Elon musk that his $1 million dollar giveaway violates federal law and how republicans have stacked the Supreme Court in favor of Republicans,” asked one user.
In response, Grok wrote, “Elon, your $1M giveaway for voting in the WI Supreme Court election likely violates federal law (18 U.S. Code § 597) and WI law (Section 12.11) against vote buying, as it could incentivize turnout. Legal experts call it ‘clearly illegal.’ Also, Republicans have shifted the U.S. Supreme Court with conservative appointments, favoring their policies, though some see it as legit power use. The laws aim to protect election integrity.”
Users’ asks for Grok’s input came after Musk announced Thursday that he would be making a public appearance in Wisconsin on Sunday, with entrance to his talk limited to those who voted in the hotly contested Wisconsin Supreme Court race.
Musk further stated that two attendees of his talk in Wisconsin would receive $1 million each.
“On Sunday night, I will give a talk in Wisconsin. Entrance is limited to those who have voted in the Supreme Court election,” he wrote. “I will also personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each in appreciation for you taking the time to vote. This is super important.”
The Supreme Court race in Wisconsin has become incredibly intense, breaking previous records for spending on US judicial races. Republican nominee Brad Schimel has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, facing off against Dane County Judge Susan Crawford, who is supported by various leaders of the Democratic Party, as reported by the Associated Press.
“It’s a very important race,” Trump told AP in a brief phone call Thursday. “I know you feel it’s local, but it’s not. It’s really much more than local. The whole country is watching.”
Musk has used million-dollar sweepstakes as an incentive to vote previously, such as in the months leading up to the 2024 elections, when he offered voters in certain swing states the opportunity to win $1 million a day if they signed a petition created by Musk’s America PAC supporting the First and Second Amendments.
The legality of this initiative was highly debated, though he was ultimately allowed to proceed by Pennsylvania Common Pleas Court Judge Angelo Foglietta.
Originally published on Latin Times
