The power of AI (artificial intelligence) is rapidly creeping into our everyday lives and sometimes it can be a little disconcerting what the technology is capable of doing. Other times, it’s fun to point and laugh at things computers still can’t figure out – like sarcasm. So as memes about the Lakers drafting Bronny James went around social media, the X (Twitter) AI platform was incapable of deciphering the humor.
As LeBron and Bronny James prepare to be the first father-son duo in the NBA (making nepotism the topic of the day in NBA media circles), social media was filled with jokes and memes like this one about there being controversy that an NBA player was sleeping with his teammate’s mother.
BREAKING:
LeBron James has reportedly been hooking up with Bronny’s mom.
How will this affect the Lakers locker room? pic.twitter.com/4xfZDQ18vf
— Shawn (@PalmerDesigns_) June 28, 2024
Funny, right? Savannah James even had a good laugh over the memes as they made their way across social media. Of course, Delonte West’s name was also trending… but that’s another story for another day.
And yet, when the James family jokes were posed to X’s AI platform Grok to summarize, it went in a different direction entirely, surmising that there were actual allegations of LeBron having an affair with a teammate’s mother and that a scandal was sweeping the team. The reading of these AI summaries may even be more funny than the original jokes themselves.
absolutely obsessed this summary from Grok regarding accusations of LeBron James having an affair with teammate Bronny James’ mom. pic.twitter.com/t3CkQAWwKE
— Kate Magdziuk (@katemagdziuk) June 28, 2024
Grok misinterpreted this obvious joke, which is fine. But Lebron never denied having relations with his own wife, so why did it make up this sensationalized headline? lmao c’mon man pic.twitter.com/eCvV5E0GfN
— Sanøva (@TheyCallMeNov) June 28, 2024
Lmao. Bronny going to the Lakers broke X/Grok. 😂 pic.twitter.com/9mttXnpqVQ
— Naveen Ganglani (@naveenganglani) June 28, 2024
Grok misinterpreted this obvious joke, which is fine. But Lebron never denied having relations with his own wife, so why did it make up this sensationalized headline? lmao c’mon man pic.twitter.com/eCvV5E0GfN
— Sanøva (@TheyCallMeNov) June 28, 2024
It’s one thing for AI to not be able to interpret sarcasm, but it’s also weird that it would totally make up some details as well, like LeBron James denying non-existent allegations. What if he had admitted it, Grok!
AI may be able to replicate the voice of Al Michaels when it comes to narrating customizable Olympic highlight packages, but it can’t replace the human touch that is needed to fully understand meme culture. When the robot apocalypse is finally upon us, at least we’ll have our dry, cool wit.