AI Bot Mistakenly Declares Fox News Anchor John Roberts Dead

NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 2025 — Fox News anchor John Roberts found himself in an unusual situation on Monday when an AI chatbot mistakenly announced he had died, leading him to publicly confirm that he is indeed alive.

The incident stemmed from a post Roberts made on social media on Feb. 7, showcasing a video of him playing guitar. His tweet included the caption, “Something we wish we all had more of… And I’m not talking about guitar playing.” However, shortly after, Grok, the AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk, generated a post stating that Roberts had passed away on February 3, 2025.

The AI claimed, “John Roberts, the musician mentioned, recently passed away on February 3, 2025, which might add a layer of poignancy to this post showcasing his guitar playing.” The confusion arose from the existence of another musician by the same name, who had indeed died in Schenectady, New York.

Roberts expressed surprise at the AI’s declaration, humorously stating, “Oh my … either Grok’s algorithm needs a little tweak… or I’m in trouble.” He later took to the air on America Reports to reassure viewers of his well-being.

The late John Roberts was a notable English folk musician, known for his collaborations with Tony Barrand and performances with various groups such as Ye Mariners All. His partner, Lisa Preston, shared on Facebook that he had succumbed to health complications related to congestive heart failure and esophageal cancer.

This incident is not isolated. Grok has faced criticism previously for generating misleading or offensive content. Experts indicate that the chatbot’s image generation capabilities lack essential guardrails found in competing models, which often prevent the creation of violent or explicit imagery.

Daniel Card, a fellow at the Chartered Institute for IT, referred to the misinformation produced by Grok as a “societal crisis,” emphasizing its broader implications. He stated, “Grok may have some guardrails, but it’s unleashing a torrent of misinformation, copyright chaos and explicit deepfakes.” Card called for immediate action from regulators and tech leaders to address the challenges posed by AI in the information age.

Despite the gaffe, Fox News confirmed that Roberts is alive and scheduled to anchor America Reports as usual. He appeared on air, underscoring that the declaration of his death was nothing more than an error produced by the AI.