Grok AI’s response to Lord Ganesha image wins praise across India

Elon Musk sparked a wave of admiration across Indian social media after sharing a post featuring Lord Ganesha, the revered Hindu deity, as part of a demonstration of Grok, the AI chatbot developed by his company xAI.

Musk uploaded a photo of a traditional brass idol and asked Grok, “What is this?” The chatbot responded with striking accuracy, identifying the figure as Lord Ganesha and describing it as “a small brass (or bronze) statue of Lord Ganesha, a widely revered Hindu deity.” Grok further explained its reasoning by highlighting key iconographic features such as the elephant head, four arms, seated posture, and the mouse at the deity’s feet.

The exchange quickly went viral, with many Indians expressing delight at Musk’s interest in a symbol deeply rooted in Hindu tradition. British-Indian entrepreneur Manoj Ladwa, head of India Global Forum, responded to Musk’s post, noting that the idol had been presented to him on behalf of the forum and symbolised “the removal of obstacles and blessings for good fortune.”

Social media users reacted with a mix of humour and admiration. Comments ranged from “Elon really merging Tesla, SpaceX, and Hindu philosophy in one update” to “It’s great to see Elon and Grok recognising Lord Ganesha — wisdom meets technology, what a blend!” Others praised Grok’s detailed recognition, noting its accurate identification of all key elements associated with Lord Ganesha.

The post has since become a trending topic, with many viewing it as a moment of cultural resonance between advanced technology and ancient tradition.