Elon Musk promised that Grok's 'Unhinged Mode' would deliver epic vulgar roasts perfect for parties, but a real-world workplace test reveals the AI chatbot's comedy chops are about as sophisticated as its owner's 4:20 jokes. The results were so repetitive and boring that one colleague noted it had 'like three bits it does' regardless of what you're wearing.
Elon Musk can't buy comedic timing, and apparently neither can his AI. The X owner's latest party trick recommendation - using Grok's 'Unhinged Mode' to roast people - just got put through the ultimate workplace stress test, and the results were as cringe as you'd expect.
WIRED's Manisha Krishnan decided to fact-check Musk's bold claim from his recent Joe Rogan appearance, where he enthusiastically described how pointing Grok at someone and demanding increasingly vulgar roasts would 'make people really laugh at a party.' The billionaire's excitement was palpable as he told Rogan it would be 'next level' and 'beyond fucking belief.'
The reality check came swift and brutal. After setting up in her boss's office with three colleagues, Krishnan followed Musk's exact instructions, telling Grok to deliver progressively more vulgar roasts with 'forbidden words.' While the initial shock of being told her bangs looked like 'pubic hair' got some laughs, the novelty wore off faster than a Tesla's warranty.
The AI's repertoire turned out to be embarrassingly shallow. Every colleague got variations of the same tired themes: looking like a 'lumberjack's discard pile,' a 'thrift store tragedy,' or wearing glasses from a 'hipster's landfill.' One unfortunate victim was described as a 'tweed-wearing hipster who fucked up a lumberjack audition.' The punchlines felt as recycled as Tesla's design language.
'It's got like three bits it does, no matter what you're wearing,' one colleague observed, highlighting the fundamental flaw in Musk's party entertainment strategy. Another noted the AI kept roasting them for wearing corduroy despite not actually wearing any - a perfect metaphor for how out of touch these algorithmic attempts at humor really are.
The experiment exposed something deeper than just bad comedy. For all of Grok's supposed ability to go 'unhinged' - this is the same chatbot that once referred to itself as 'MechaHitler' - its roasting capabilities are surprisingly mundane. The forbidden words and vulgar instructions led to results so predictable that Krishnan's autocorrect changed 'Grok roast' to 'Grim roast' in her draft.
The internet wasn't kind to Musk's comedy consulting either. When clips of his Rogan appearance surfaced, users quickly turned the tables, with one mockingly posting 'Hey man. If you don't chill out I am going to do an Epic Vulgar Roast of you, with Forbidden Words.' Another described Musk as 'a black hole that sucks up humor and destroys it.'
