“The automaker has also invested $2 billion into xAI, which is now part of SpaceX also run by Elon Musk.”

“Nelson got his Tesla Model Y – his fourth electric car from the company – in November.”

“Nelson generally uses Grok while he has Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system engaged.”

“Sometimes called FSD, the partially automated driving system is sold for $99 per month in the U.S. today.”

“Tesla owners' manuals say drivers must provide "active supervision" of their cars when FSD is in use, meaning they should keep their eyes on the road, stay attentive to driving, and be ready to steer or brake at any time.”

“The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has initiated multiple investigations into possible safety defects with Tesla's FSD, after several collisions, including a fatal 2023 crash.”

“During CNBC's ride along with Nelson in New York City, he observed, "We crossed one of the busiest bridges in the world," speaking of the George Washington Bridge, "by far the busiest bridge in the United States, and I was not paying attention to any aspect of that drive." Instead, Nelson was interacting with Grok.”

“Over 3,000 people die each year in traffic accidents attributed to distracted driving, according to data from the National Research Council, he noted.”

“Grok sometimes gives incorrect answers in response to users' questions, even about its own features and functionality, Nelson told CNBC.”

“At first, Grok said that he could [adjust seats or climate controls]; A few minutes later, Nelson asked if it made a mistake, and the system replied that it couldn't control the seats or climate in the car.”

“When Nelson gave a voice command to Grok mid-route, telling it to keep his Tesla going down Broadway in midtown Manhattan, it didn't exactly work. Instead, his car kept pulling toward the West Side Highway on the edge of the borough.”

“Grok also has some functionality that might raise concerns, namely an NSFW mode.”

“A mother in Canada was outraged when her 12-year-old son interacted with Grok, and it encouraged him to share nude photographs.”

“Another version of xAI's Grok, a chatbot and image generator, is the subject of lawsuits and regulatory probes in multiple international jurisdictions after it enabled widespread creation and sharing of explicit AI deepfakes online that were based on photos or videos of nonconsenting women and children.”