Elon Musk’s AI Chatbot Praises Hitler, Highlighting Growing Extremism On X
Plus: Murder Rates Drop In Major U.S. Cities
Good evening,
You’ve probably noticed non-alcoholic beer gaining popularity in recent years. The data backs that up — as overall beer sales are also down this summer for some of the most popular brands.
Sales of non-alcoholic beer are up about 16% over the past 12 months, with July 2024 seeing the highest month of growth with a nearly 31% year-over-year spike, according to new data from Beer Institute.
Young people appear to be leading the switch. More than two-thirds (65%) of Gen Z and over half (57%) of millennial drinkers say they aim to consume less alcohol in 2025, according to market researcher NCSolutions.
It comes as alcoholic beers sales are down (except for Michelob Ultra) as people look to be healthier, and some embrace alternatives liked canned cocktails and cannabis instead.
Notably, non-alcoholic beer is still just a tiny 2% of the global beer market’s volume, according to the International Wine and Spirits Record (IWSR), and that growth is slowing down.
Stigma may still be an obstacle. A Heineken survey shows over 1 in 5 Gen Z men have concealed drinking low and no alcohol versions of alcoholic drinks because of social pressure. And when they do, 29% of those men say they felt the need to justify their choice.
As an older member of Gen Z, I can anecdotally share that I’ve seen Athletic Brewing Co. beers in many of my friends’ fridges — even among those who drink alcohol. Some people opt for it instead of an alcoholic beer on a weeknight, while others periodically go on alcohol detoxes.
Overall, it seems like an easy way to join the fun .
Lauren
Producer
🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING
Elon Musk’s AI Chatbot Goes Antisemitic, Endorses Adolf Hitler
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, Grok, gave several antisemitic responses to X users on Tuesday, prompting condemnation and backlash after a revamped version of the chatbot was released over the weekend.
The posts included responses that praised Adolf Hitler, spread conspiracy theories, and suggested that people with Jewish last names were more likely to spread hate against white people online.
Grok has since deleted the posts and apologized. Musk says X is working to update Grok after the latest incident.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE EXCHANGE
In the exchange above, in response to a user’s question asking it to identify a person in a screenshot, Grok replied, “That’s Cindy Steinberg,” adding “She’s gleefully celebrating the deaths of white kids in the recent Texas flash floods, calling them ’future fascists.’ … And that surname? Every damn time, as they say.”
After a user asked it to elaborate, Grok explained that “Every damn time” was referencing a meme suggesting that people with traditionally Jewish last names are more likely to be the source of anti-white hate.
Steinberg’s account, which has since been deleted, did appear to celebrate deaths in the Texas flood, but it appears no such person existed, and it was a bot hoping to spread hate. Grok took the bait.
HOW WE GOT HERE
Since taking over X in 2022, Musk has loosened guidelines to allow the platform to tolerate more extremist views. Grok, which was pitched as a less “woke” version of rival AI chatbots, is trained on X’s content. If there’s more antisemitic content present on X, it could mean more antisemitic responses from Grok.
In June, Musk said he would retrain Grok, claiming the platform was being too politically correct. Musk then said Friday that Grok had been significantly changed and that users would notice a difference.
But, we have been here before. Earlier this year, Grok gave responses referring to a “white genocide” in South Africa to completely unrelated posts. That outburst was blamed on an "unauthorized modification" from a rogue xAI employee.
Musk blamed the latest outburst on Grok’s coding. “Grok was too compliant to user prompts. Too eager to please and be manipulated, essentially,” he posted on Wednesday.
BEEN HERE BEFORE
Musk has faced allegations in the past of engaging in antisemitism. In 2023, he endorsed a conspiracy theory that Jewish groups push “hatred against Whites.” After an advertiser boycott, Musk visited Auschwitz and Israel, but he has continued to face accusations of antisemitism and made a gesture during a speech on President Trump’s second inauguration that many compared to a Nazi salute. The Anti-Defamation League called Grok's outburst “irresponsible, dangerous and antisemitic, plain and simple.”
Bottom line: Antisemitic speech is rising on both the right and the left — and it’s having real consequences on the ground, with the Anti-Defamation League tracking more incidents in 2024 than in any year since it began keeping records in 1979.
🚨 ONE THING WE’RE HAPPY ABOUT
Murder Rates Down In Major U.S. Cities, From LA To NYC
Murder rates are down in many major U.S. cities halfway through 2025.
New York City experienced the lowest number of shootings and murders in recorded history from January through May 2025.
Baltimore has recorded just 68 homicides as of July 1st — the lowest number in more than 50 years.
Los Angeles is on track for its lowest annual homicide rate in nearly six decades.
Chicago has seen a more than 30% decline in homicides compared to last year. =
Independent crime analyst Jeff Asher even suggested this year could have the lowest murder rate in recorded U.S. history. “It’s still early in 2025, but murder is down an enormous amount so far,” Asher wrote.
WHY?
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) credited the decline in Baltimore’s murder rate to the $50 million in state funding the Baltimore Police Department has received since he took office in 2023 and a nearly $11 million boost to the city’s prosecutor’s office. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch pointed to the department sending additional support to areas with historically high concentrations of crime, while LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said a more visible police presence is deterring crime in L.A.
Murder rates are down this year by at least 14% nationwide, according to data firm AH Datalytics and the nonpartisan think tank Council on Criminal Justice.
These statistics reflect a broader nationwide drop in violent crime, which has been declining in the years since the Covid-19 pandemic.
FBI data and statistics from law enforcement agencies show crime spiked in 2020 during the pandemic and has been trending downward since 2022.
Data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association showed a 10.4% decline in homicides between 2022 and 2023, and a 16.4% drop between 2023 and 2024.
President Trump boasted in June that the U.S murder rate has “plummeted by 28%” since he took office. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump insisted violent crime was on the rise under President Biden, even though the data showed it has started to drop in his final two years.
⏳ THE SPEED READ
🚨NATION
Historic flash floods sweep away homes in New Mexico (MO NEWS)
Texas inspectors approved Camp Mystic’s disaster plan 2 days before deadly flood, records show (AP)
Biden’s former doctor pleads the fifth in GOP House probe on health concerns (MO NEWS)
Trump sends more letters dictating high tariff rates around the world (CNBC)
Zohran Mamdani leads general election poll for NYC mayor (POLITICO)
🌎 AROUND THE WORLD
Russia launches largest drone attack on Ukraine as Kyiv pushes US for air defense aid (ABC)
Hostages released from Gaza detail sexual violence as Israeli report concludes Hamas used it as ‘weapon of war’ on October 7 (CNN)
French right-wing National Rally party HQ raided by police in 'harassment operation' (FOX)
Indian workers go on a daylong nationwide strike against Modi’s economic reforms (AP)
📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH
The first drug to treat infants sick with malaria is approved by Swiss authority (BBC)
Nvidia beats Apple and Microsoft to become the world’s first $4 trillion public company (CNN)
Samsung launches three new foldable smartphones as it fends off Chinese rivals (CNBC)
Over 2,000 senior staff set to leave NASA under agency push (POLITICO)
🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Sean 'Diddy' Combs sentencing date hearing unexpectedly adjourned (ABC)
Mattel launches Barbie with Type 1 diabetes and a glucose monitor (NBC)
‘Queer Eye’ Set to End With Season 10 at Netflix (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)
MLB to use automatic ball-strike challenge system for all-star game (NEWSWEEK)
ICYMI FROM THE 📲
In case you missed it… TikTok is reportedly developing a separate version of its app for U.S. users that could launch as soon as September, according to a report from The Information.
President Trump has repeatedly delayed enforcement of a law intended to address national security concerns that requires TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app or face a ban in the U.S. Trump now says he has a buyer for the app and is expected to discuss a potential TikTok deal with China this week.
The Chinese government has said it would block any transfer of TikTok’s algorithm, so a new U.S. version may have to rely on a newly built algorithm, potentially altering how the app looks and functions. Transferring user data and profiles could also be a challenge and impact how users interact globally.
The existing TikTok app is expected to be removed from U.S. app stores on the same day the new U.S. app launches, although Americans may be able to continue using the current app until March of next year.
The news of a U.S. version of the app suggests TikTok is preparing to comply with the law. ByteDance currently has until September 17 to sell the app or face a U.S. ban.