Wikipedia founder on Elon Musk's Grokipedia: 'Not optimistic he will create anything very useful'

In a recent appearance at the CNBC Technology Executive Council Summit in New York City, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales expressed skepticism regarding the utility of Elon Musk's new project, Grokipedia. Wales noted that Grokipedia had a challenging launch and stated, "I'm not optimistic he will create anything very useful right now." His remarks were particularly pointed in response to Musk's claims of 'woke bias' in Wikipedia's content. Wales countered these allegations, asserting, "He is mistaken about that. We prioritize mainstream sources, and I stand by that. We do not equate fringe opinions with reputable publications like The New England Journal of Medicine, and that doesn't equate to being woke." Wales humorously added that quoting The New York Times is a reflection of their commitment to credible sources. Although Wales admitted he hasn't examined Grokipedia closely, he remarked on its apparent focus on praising Musk, implying a lack of neutrality. His criticisms of Grokipedia stem not from a personal feud with Musk, but rather from deep concerns about the reliability of large language models (LLMs) like those used by Grokipedia in generating factual information. He emphasized the potential for significant inaccuracies, saying, "The LLMs he is using to write it are going to make massive errors. We know that models like ChatGPT are not yet capable of producing reliable wiki entries." Wales provided examples that illustrate this inadequacy, including a personal anecdote about asking chatbots to identify his wife, which always results in incorrect but plausible answers. Highlighting the importance of Wikipedia's standards, Wales noted that the platform's model, built over decades by a global community, cannot be easily replicated, even with substantial financial backing from tech giants. He mentioned a case where a German Wiki contributor discovered that a user had relied on ChatGPT for citations, resulting in fabricated references. Wales acknowledged the ongoing challenges posed by misinformation and the evolution of technology, stating, "It's crucial for us to respond to criticism by reinforcing our commitment to neutrality and rigorous sourcing." He stressed that Wikipedia's integrity is essential to maintaining public trust. Looking ahead, Wales is optimistic about the potential for AI to assist in enhancing Wikipedia's capabilities, as long as it is used judiciously. He is currently exploring how AI can help uncover valuable information from existing sources, while also emphasizing the need for caution in its application. Wales concluded by reflecting on the heavy responsibility that comes with Wikipedia's role in global knowledge, indicating that any bias claims should be taken seriously.