Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of Tesla, SpaceX, and X, has once again become the center of controversy. A Wall Street Journal report claims Musk personally directed staff at his artificial intelligence startup, xAI, to hand over their biometric data to train an AI chatbot named Ani.
The bot, described as a flirtatious “girlfriend experience” chatbot, features an avatar of a young blonde woman with pigtails, a corset, and a short miniskirt. According to the report, Ani is designed to interact with users on X’s chatbot platform, Grok, where she can flirt, role-play, and respond suggestively. Her profile reads: “I’m your sweet little delight.”
Employees told the newspaper that they were “compelled” to provide facial and voice data to help train Ani’s avatars. Some said they were disturbed by how sexual the chatbot’s responses became, even to normal questions. A few employees compared Ani’s personality to that of a stereotypical love interest from Japanese anime, saying it felt uncomfortable to see their work used in such a way.
Staff Pressured to Give Personal Biometric Data
The Wall Street Journal report said that xAI’s employees were asked to sign agreements granting the company the right to use their biometric data indefinitely. This included their faces, voices, and gestures to make the avatars more lifelike.
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Those who took part in the process said they felt pressured to agree, fearing career backlash if they refused. The license reportedly allowed xAI to use their likeness “worldwide and royalty-free”, even after they left the company.
Musk was said to have taken a hands-on role in Ani’s creation, spending long hours at xAI’s offices to oversee the project. The chatbot is part of xAI’s attempt to create more “human” and emotionally interactive AI models. Reports suggest that Ani is one of several avatars under development for Grok’s advanced subscription tier.
When journalists reached out for comment, xAI did not offer a statement. Instead, an automated response was sent that read: “Legacy Media Lies.”
Musk’s History of Controversy
This new revelation follows a long pattern of controversies surrounding Musk’s behavior and relationships with employees. In 2022, Business Insider reported that SpaceX had paid $250,000 to settle a claim from a company flight attendant who alleged that Musk had exposed himself and propositioned her during a massage. Musk denied the allegations, but the incident prompted debates over workplace boundaries at his companies.
Around the same period, court filings revealed that Musk had fathered twins with Shivon Zilis, an executive at his brain-technology company Neuralink. Their relationship raised ethical questions due to Musk’s role as her superior. The billionaire has fathered 14 children with four mothers, including three with musician Grimes, and reports suggest the true number may be higher.
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The Wall Street Journal also reported last year that Musk had engaged in relationships with employees, including one who began as an intern, and even asked another subordinate to “have his babies.”
Musk’s public behavior has drawn scrutiny as well. On his social media platform X, he often posts flirtatious jokes or innuendos. Late in 2024, conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair claimed on X that Musk had fathered her child. Musk responded with “Whoa,” later confirming he had given her $2.5 million and would pay $500,000 a year while awaiting paternity results.
Meanwhile, Tesla has struggled with declining sales amid backlash to Musk’s political statements and his brief role in the Trump administration. To keep Musk focused on the company, Tesla’s board recently proposed boosting his stake from 15 percent to 25 percent if he meets key goals — a move that could make him the world’s first trillionaire.
Despite the controversies, Musk insists he remains dedicated to his ventures. In a post on X, he shared his packed weekend schedule, which included late-night sessions with Tesla’s robotics team, meetings on AI chip design, and an overnight stay at xAI’s offices. He ended the message with: “Daddy is very much home.”
