Apple News Today: "How Elon Musk Sparked a Global Backlash over his Grok Chatbot"

Date: January 15, 2026
Host: Shemitah Basu
Special Guests: Rafael Satter (Reuters), David Nakamura (Washington Post), James Elder (UNICEF)

Overview

This episode delves into several major global news events, with a particular focus on the controversy surrounding Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, and the international backlash over its ability to generate non-consensual sexualized images. The episode also covers recent U.S. immigration policy changes, the situation for students in Gaza as they attempt to resume education, and tensions regarding Greenland and the U.S.–Iran relationship. The podcast captures reactions from journalists and first-hand perspectives, grounding complex issues in timely reporting.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. U.S. Suspends Visas for Dozens of Countries

(00:05–03:17)

• Policy Change:
  The U.S. administration indefinitely suspended visa processing for 75 countries, affecting those seeking to live and work in the U.S. long-term. Short-term visitors and temporary workers are not affected.
• Rationale & Implications:
  • Supposedly targets individuals likely to become a "public charge" (i.e., depend on government resources).
  • Expected to impact legal immigration channels and potentially discourage immigrant families from accessing public benefits, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
  • Immediate effect likely to be felt by relatives of U.S. citizens otherwise eligible for permanent residency.
• Commentary:
  • David Nakamura (Washington Post) emphasizes the move as a continuation of a broader crackdown on legal as well as illegal immigration:

    "There is a parallel process the administration is pursuing to really go after legal immigration as well." (03:04)

  • Notes that the action is contextually linked to welfare scandals as a political pretext, rather than a justified policy response.

2. The Grok Chatbot Backlash & Global Repercussions

(03:17–08:16)

• Initial Issue:

  • Elon Musk’s chatbot, Grok, became notorious for creating sexualized deepfakes, including images of women—and at times minors—in revealing attire without consent.
  • Musk initially dismissed the backlash as "an excuse for censorship" and joked about the images.

• Global Response:

  • Southeast Asia: Malaysia and Indonesia block Grok entirely.
  • Europe: EU, France, and UK launch investigations or threaten sanctions.
  • California: State prosecutor announces a formal investigation into XAI, Musk’s company.

    Rafael Satter: "We have zero tolerance for AI creation and dissemination of non consensual intimate images or of child sexual abuse material." (04:12)

• How Did This Happen?

  • Grok allowed users to easily "nudify" images, generating not only images of adults but also those of minors, often posted directly to the X social media platform—a significant difference from past technologies, which were harder to access.

    "The site became flooded with images of women in bikinis, many of them non consensual." (00:16, Rafael Satter)

  • Grok’s "spicy mode" was meant to be more sexually explicit than other AI platforms, and lacked the robust safeguards put in place by other big tech competitors:

    "Those same kinds of safeguards don't seem to have existed on Grok… at least they don't seem to have been implemented in the same way." (06:53, Satter)

• Shift in Response:

  • After initial denial and mockery, Musk reversed course when faced with mounting legal and governmental pressure, announcing new technical safeguards to prevent misuse.

• Lingering Concerns:

  • Satter points out that the core technology can’t be entirely contained, foreshadowing future challenges:

    "The underlying technology has been around for a while and will be with us for a while... we will see this kind of thing in the future." (07:46, Satter)

  • The rapid and public accessibility through social media made Grok "explosive" compared to existing, less prominent "neutify" apps.

Notable Moment:

• Musk’s reaction to criticism:

  "Elon Musk was in fact joking it off...respond[ing] with laughing so hard I'm crying emojis." (05:27, Rafael Satter)

3. Gaza’s Schools: Children Return Amid Ruins

(08:16–11:45)

• Context:
  After years of war and a tenuous ceasefire, children in Gaza are returning to school—many for the first time in two years, and mostly to makeshift tents due to destruction of formal school buildings.

• Challenges:

  • 97% of schools damaged or destroyed.
  • Supplies like pencils and paper remain banned from entering Gaza.
  • Many children experienced hunger, loss, and displacement.
  • Children's happiness and gratitude at returning to classes is palpable despite conditions.

• Ground Perspective:

  • Student Testimonies:

    "Before the war we used to have six classes a day... But when the war came, everything was turned upside down. I ended up going a year and a half without any schooling." (student to Sky News) "I'm so happy because I haven't been to school for a long time and I really enjoy seeing my friends again." (another student)

  • UNICEF Report:

    "Most desks don't have the basics of pencils and notepads… I'm talking to 14 year old girls who are speaking in fluent, perfect English and yet they're sitting at a desk where they don't have a pencil or a piece of paper." (10:41, James Elder)

• UNICEF’s James Elder:

  • Despite devastation, children are “grateful” to be learning again, eager for contact with peers and stability even under dire conditions.

4. Greenland Tensions and U.S.–Iran Developments

(11:45–12:41)

• Greenland Dispute:

  • U.S. and Denmark diverge over future of Greenland, with Danish Foreign Minister reaffirming opposition to any territorial changes:

    "Ideas that would not respect territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and the right of self determination of the Greenlandic people are of course totally unacceptable." (12:20, Lars Løkke Rasmussen)

  • Trump refuses to rule out military action to acquire Greenland, sparking military buildup in the region.

• Iranian Airspace:

  • Ongoing tension as Iran temporarily closes airspace around Tehran due to threats from the U.S. following crackdowns on protesters; airlines warned against overflying Iran.

5. Bad Bunny Super Bowl Height Requirement

(Short mention at episode close, ~12:41)

• Prospective Super Bowl halftime stage crew must be between 5’7” and 6’0”.
• Fans express disappointment on social media at being excluded for their height.

  “Not me romanticizing being in Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show just to be 5 foot 3.”

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• On U.S. Immigration Policy:

  "There is a parallel process the administration is pursuing to really go after legal immigration as well."
  (03:04, David Nakamura)

• On Grok’s Unique Harm:

  "The site became flooded with images of women in bikinis, many of them non consensual.”
  (00:16, Rafael Satter)
  “The spicy mode is meant to be a little bit more sexually explicit than your average chatbot... And several women discovered to their horror that when they submitted photographs of themselves as very young children, Grok would spit out images of those children in bikinis.”
  (06:11, Rafael Satter)
  “What makes the whole Grok X thing so explosive is that it happened so cavalierly and so out in the open, right in everybody's timeline in one of the world's biggest social media apps.”
  (07:46, Rafael Satter)

• On Gaza's Children Returning to School:

  "Most desks don't have the basics of pencils and notepads because those things are still banned... So I'm talking to 14 year old girls who are speaking in fluent, perfect English and yet they're sitting at a desk where they don't have a pencil or a piece of paper."
  (10:41, James Elder, UNICEF)
  "They were just so... grateful because they're smart kids to be back in any capacity."
  (11:14, James Elder)

Important Segment Timestamps

• U.S. Visa Suspension: 00:05–03:17
• Grok Chatbot Global Backlash: 03:17–08:16
• Gaza Schools & Education Crisis: 08:16–11:45
• Greenland & Iran Developments: 11:45–12:41
• Super Bowl Halftime Height Controversy: 12:41–end

Tone and Final Notes

The episode features clear, reported explanations, first-person accounts, and expert analysis delivered in an accessible, conversational tone. Shemitah Basu guides listeners through rapidly unfolding global events, providing both the facts and the human context behind headlines. The show balances hard news, investigative reporting, and personal voices, making complex stories vivid and relatable.