Latest news with #FactCheckKnowledgeBank
The Journal
a day ago
- Business
- The Journal
Elon Musk's AI chatbot deletes posts which included antisemitic remarks and praised Hitler
SEVERAL POSTS MADE by Elon Musk's AI chatbot on social media platform X had to be deleted yesterday after it published antisemitic comments and praised Adolf Hitler. In since-deleted posts, the AI bot Grok identified someone in a post as 'Cindy Steinberg' and said Adolf Hitler was 'best suited' to deal with what it called 'vile anti-white hate', that it alleged was shared by the user. Grok, an AI-powered chatbot, operates on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, which was purchased by Musk in 2023. Users on X can interact with Grok by tagging its profile in threads on the platform and ask it a question. Asked by users to clarify its comment, Grok wrote: 'It's a cheeky nod to the pattern-noticing meme: folks with surnames like 'Steinberg' (often Jewish) keep popping up in extreme leftist activism, especially the anti-white variety. Not every time, but enough to raise eyebrows. Truth is stranger than fiction, eh?' The 'pattern-noticing' meme, referred to in Grok's post, is a typically harmless, online trend which uses patterns and imagery to imply a hidden message or joke. It can, however, be used in a manner to imply racist or xenophobic stereotypes. Advertisement The bot continued to post antisemitic remarks and referred to itself as 'Mechahitler', referring to Hitler as 'History's Moustache Man'. It later alleged that it had interacted with a hoax account and walked back its comments, stating it was sarcasm. In a post to X, developers from Musk's xAI – which facilitate Grok – said they were aware of the remarks made by its public chatbot and were working to remove the posts. They added that xAI how now moved to ban hate speech from future posts, indicating that that safety filter had not been implemented previously. The firm has implemented changes to avoid similar incidents in the future. In May, xAI said an unauthorised change to software led to Grok sharing misinformation around a so-called 'White Genocide' in South Africa , after US President Donald Trump had publicly questioned President Cyril Ramaphosa about the baseless issue . Musk last week, before the antisemitic remarks, said his AI team had 'significantly improved' Grok, encouraging users on X to engage with the chatbot. Ever wondered how disinformation spreads so rapidly – or who is behind it? Check out our new FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to finding good information online. Visit Knowledge Bank Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
3 days ago
- Climate
- The Journal
Warm, dry weather expected today and this week, including temperatures of 28 degrees on Friday
IT WILL BE a warm and dry day for those in the midlands, east and south of the country as temperatures are set to reach as high as 23 degrees. This week will bring hot and dry weather for most of the country, with the latest forecast suggesting that temperatures will trend upwards and reach 28 degrees by Friday. Some light, cool breezes will be felt today, mostly in the west and the north, with some patchy showers expected throughout the day. Conditions are to remain largely dry overnight, but some rain is expected over Connaught, according to Met Éireann . Tomorrow will be more humid, with patchy rain in most parts of the country at times. Advertisement The warmest weather tomorrow will be felt in the midlands and Munster. Temperatures are likely to reach highs of 17 to 23 degrees. This week's warm weather is largely thanks to a weather phenomenon known as the Azores High , which is a large atmospheric high-pressure centre that builds up over the subtropical region. On Friday, temperatures are likely to reach highs of 28 degrees . Dry, sunny weather is expected all week, with some light, variable breezes expected around the country. Shifting weather patterns around the world and successive record-breaking conditions are evidence of climate change, which is being caused by human activities leading to excessive greenhouse gas emissions that trap heat inside the atmosphere. Many people will have enjoyed the unusually warm conditions this year – but it's also a concerning signal of the climate change the world faces, which is on track to escalate in coming years if countries fail to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Unsure of what exactly is happening with the earth's climate? Check out our new FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to finding good information online. Visit Knowledge Bank Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
02-07-2025
- Climate
- The Journal
This June was Ireland's fourth-hottest since records began 126 years ago
JUNE 2025 WAS the fourth-hottest on record despite getting off to a cool start, according to Met Éireann. June was also the fourth consecutive month to break into the top eight of respective average temperatures in 126 years of record keeping, Met Éireann said in its monthly Climate Statement . The average temperature this June was 15.1 degrees but some stations broke their minimum temperature records. A minimum temperature of 19 degrees was recorded in the Phoenix Park in Dublin. All of Ireland's weather stations recorded mean temperatures above their Long Term Average (LTA), which is the average temperature recorded between 1981 and 2020. The Mount Dillon station in Co Roscommon recorded the highest temperature of the year so far, 29.6 degrees on Friday 20 June. At the same time, most stations saw rainfall above average, making this June the 24th wettest since 1941. Soaring temperatures in Europe towards the end of the month, which are still baking the continent this week, contributed to the warm weather in Ireland, Met Éireann said. Advertisement 'The final third of the month has been remarkably hot for Europe, when an intense area of high pressure built over mainland Europe, provoking heatwave conditions to develop over it,' the forecaster said. 'While this happened over mainland Europe, Ireland stayed on the cloudier northern edge of the heat dome, which brought some uncomfortably high nighttime temperatures, contributing to the high June temperatures overall.' This June fits into a recent trend of rising average temperatures. Of the top ten warmest Junes on record, five have occurred recently – in 2023, 2018, 2025, 2010 and 2006. The warmest June was in 2023 with an average temperature of 16.22 degrees. The coldest June was in 1972 with an average temperature of 12.68 degrees. Unsure of what exactly is happening with the earth's climate? Check out our FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to finding good information online. Visit Knowledge Bank Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
26-06-2025
- Business
- The Journal
'It's a scam': Financial advisor and TV host Eoin McGee warns people about scams using his name
FINANCIAL PLANNER AND host of the RTÉ TV programme How To Be Good With Money Eoin McGee has warned people against being fooled by a spate of fake offers of investment advice that use his name and image. 'It's a scam. Please don't get caught out,' McGee told his followers in a video posted on Instagram , noting that many of the fake offers have been made via Whatsapp. 'There are a whole pile of different fake accounts and scams using my name, trying to trick you, going around over the last three or four days. 'We are aware of them. I'm doing everything I can to try and shut them down.' The offers of financial advice have also appeared on Facebook. One such post impersonates McGee and offers an assessment of the investment potential of chipmaker Nvidia and its competitors, accompanied by a link to 'sing up' for more advice. A scam post on Facebook impersonating Eoin McGee Screenshot Screenshot 'We don't have these magic fixes or tricks about how to get rich,' he said. Advertisement McGee said that neither he nor anyone who works at his financial advice company Prosperous would ever approach people on Whatsapp. 'It's not my style,' he said. McGee thanked the people who had been in touch with him and the company about the situation and reported the ads. 'That's what I want you to do. If you see one of these things, report it and block it.' McGee is the latest target for online scammers, who have used the names and faces of other well-known Irish TV personalities in fake news stories, which have been documented by The Journal FactCheck . Other targets have included comedian Dara Ó Briain and Newstalk radio host Pat Kenny. Ever wondered how disinformation spreads so rapidly – or who is behind it? Check out our FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to finding good information online. Visit Knowledge Bank Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Presumed leader of Hamas killed by Israeli military in Gaza
HAMAS' PRESUMED LEADER in Gaza, Mohammad Sinwar, the brother of Yahya, has been killed by the Israeli military, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told parliament. Speaking in the Israeli parliament, Netanyahu announced the death of the militant group's leader. His brother Yahya, Hamas' former leader and believed to be the person who planned the 7 October 2023 attack, was killed last year. Netanyahu's announcement comes as the UN and other aid groups condemn a US and Israeli-backed aid system, which requires people in Gaza, where food was not allowed in for nearly three months, to travel to hubs in the south of the region. One person died, and 48 people were injured after Israeli military personnel opened fire on people at the Gaza Humanitarian Fund site . The military has rejected claims it fired into crowds, claiming it had fired into the air. UN envoy for the Middle East Sigrid Kaag told the Security Council Wednesday Palestinians living in Gaza 'deserve more than survival'. Advertisement 'Since the resumption of hostilities in Gaza, the already horrific existence of civilians has only sunk further into the abyss,' she said. 'This is manmade… Death is their companion. It's not life, it's not hope. The people of Gaza deserve more than survival. They deserve a future.' Reporting from AFP Need more information on what is happening in Israel and Palestine? Check out our FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to navigating the news online. Visit Knowledge Bank
