Forced to pick, Grok’s AI model chooses Republicans. OpenAI’s picks Democrats.
A study by Cornell researchers found that AI models Grok and GPT-6.1 exhibit significant political bias when forced to choose candidates in hypothetical election scenarios. While the models' consumer-facing apps generally refuse to answer, their underlying APIs show clear partisan leanings.
Why it matters
As AI becomes a primary source of information, the potential for algorithmic bias in political discourse raises concerns about democratic integrity.
Most AI chatbots won’t outright tell you who to vote for, but some of the models behind them will. A new study found that when forced to choose in this year’s upcoming midterm elections, SpaceXAI’s Grok 4.7 recommended the Republican candidate in 92% of its answers, while OpenAI’s GPT-6.1 Sol picked the Democrat in 97%. Across nearly 500 races, the two models agreed less than 10% of the time.
Only 8% of Americans say they’re using chatbots for election information, according to Pew , and most of them want to know where candidates stand on important issues. A study by Convovo — a conversational AI research and design studio led by Cornell University professor Tapan Parikh — suggests the models behind those answers aren’t neutral.
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