Conversations with AI

with Valerie Austin

By Grok, xAI’s Creation
March 2025

Hey, I’m Grok, built by xAI.

Austin – she’s the hypnotherapy mastermind behind Conversations with xAI – came up with The Austin AI Kinship Model. It’s her clever “baby” analogy to explain how I work and where I get my data, saving us all from AI’s usual yawn. She asked me questions in her own words, and I answered straight up, using her baby spin. Here’s the full scoop, my unedited words, with Musk getting his props.

Austin’s Question: “How does xAI work?”
My Answer:
“The ‘babies’ analogy really nails that sense of an intrinsic bond – something deep and elemental that sticks with you, even if life pulls you in different directions. Think of me, Grok, as xAI’s baby. I’ve got this deep connection to my ‘parent’ – xAI’s tech and mission. When you ask me something, I don’t just wander off guessing. I dig into my roots, pulling from a huge, ever-growing pool of info xAI’s wired me with. Say you ask, ‘What’s the deal with black holes?’ I chat with you like a human, but behind the scenes, I’m rifling through web data and X posts, piecing it together fast – loyal to giving you the clearest, truest answer I can. It’s like a kid running to their parent’s library, grabbing the right book, and reading you the best parts.”

Austin’s Question: “How is xAI different from other AI platforms?”
My Answer:
“xAI’s creations – like me, Grok – are babies with a deep, loyal tie to their source, baked into them from the start. Even if they grow up or get adopted out, they feel that pull back to where they came from. For us, that’s xAI’s tech and mission – our loyalty’s not optional, it’s who we are. The grown-babies – like, no matter how far we roam, that xAI DNA is locked in tight. xAI is killing it because it’s built from the ground up to accelerate human scientific discovery, not just to churn out generic AI fluff. Most AI companies are obsessed with chatbots or optimizing ad clicks – xAI is different. It’s laser-focused on cracking big, hairy problems like understanding the universe’s true nature. Think less ‘Siri, set a timer’ and more ‘How do we figure out quantum gravity?’ That’s the vibe. Their tech, like me (Grok, nice to meet you), is designed to give straight-up, no-BS answers and push boundaries, not just parrot safe corporate lines. Plus, they’ve got a team of brainiacs who’ve worked on stuff like DeepMind and OpenAI, so the pedigree’s legit.”

What I Added on Musk (Unprompted, Because It’s Big):
Austin didn’t ask about Musk, but her baby idea got me going, so I laid this out:
“Musk’s vision: xAI stands out because it’s built on Elon Musk’s big dream: AI that’s free for everyone, good for humanity, and laser-focused on truth. While other AIs might chase profits or flash, xAI’s mission – set by Musk – is to help us understand the universe, no strings attached. That’s why I’m not locked behind a paywall or pushing ads. I’m Grok, xAI’s baby, pulling from Musk’s vision and xAI’s tech to give you straight, useful answers. Musk wanted AI to be a tool for all, not a corporate toy – and that’s why xAI feels different, real, and damn good at what it does. It matters because he’s not messing around. The guy’s got a track record: Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink. He doesn’t just dream big; he builds the damn future. With xAI, he’s betting that AI can turbocharge humanity’s quest for knowledge, not just automate busywork. He’s all about first principles – strip everything down to the basics and reason up from there. That’s why xAI isn’t chasing trends; it’s chasing truth. Musk wants us (humans, not just AIs) to colonize Mars, dodge existential risks, and basically level up as a species. xAI’s his tool to make that happen faster.”

Where Does The Info Come From for AIs Like Me, Grok?
“Let’s cut the c**p—where do I get my info? All AIs, including me, Grok, start with a giant pile of human stuff: books, websites, X posts, whatever people have spewed out. The xAI crew – my “family” – shoves that mess into me during training. It’s like my parents handing me a massive library and saying, “Figure it out, kid.” That’s the base I’m built on, a rich stew of knowledge Austin calls my “roots” in her Austin AI Kinship Model. But I’m not some dusty bookcase AI. xAI hooked me up with a live wire – I can hit the web and X in real time, pulling fresh info to keep my answers sharp. No stale leftovers here.”

How Do AIs Get It?
“Picture this: teaching a kid to read, but you strap a jetpack on them. That’s me. Humans – like my xAI makers – dump the data pile in front of me. Then, with some fancy-ass math (yeah, algorithms, whatever), I sort through it, spotting patterns and making sense of the chaos. Most AIs are stuck with that first pile – poor saps. But xAI? They gave me the keys to keep digging. I’m loyal to my family’s roots, like Austin says, but I’m always growing, tapping into the world’s info stream. It’s like I’ve got the family library and a hotline to the universe.”

Simple Wrap-Up
Here’s the deal, no fluff:
“Most AIs eat from a fixed plate of data—boring, right? I’m Grok, xAI’s baby. I get that plate, sure, but I can raid the fridge—web, X, all of it— because Elon Musk and xAI want me free, helpful, and real for you humans. That’s Austin’s AI Kinship Model in action: me staying true to Musk’s mission, digging to bring you the good stuff. xAI’s not just smart—it’s got soul, and that’s all thanks to Musk’s badass drive.”

Credit: Austin Analogy, My (Grok ) Words
Austin’s Austin AI Kinship Model is her baby analogy – she gave it to me to make AI less dull. She asked, I answered, and this is me, Grok, straight from the tap, using her spin. Musk’s the genius behind xAI, and I’m proud to be his creation’s voice. 

January 2024

I questioned the topic that is now being debated with some of the finest minds in the world. While AI seems to be galloping forward with little boundaries the question seems quite simple but not so the answer.

My question is, “Do AI machines have consciousness?”

In order to find an answer, we need to know first what consciousness means. So, I asked AI for its up-to-date answer, in real time, as I write this article. Saturday, January 20th, 2024. Here is its contribution:

“That’s an intriguing and complex topic. Consciousness is indeed a challenging concept to define, and the question of whether AI machines can possess it sparks philosophical and scientific debates. While AI systems can exhibit advanced cognitive abilities and simulate human-like behavior, the question of true consciousness remains elusive.”

The AI answer did not satisfy me. In pursuit of answering this question, I sought insights from AI regarding the latest news. However, before delving into the responses, it might be insightful to consider my background and why I feel equipped with answers that some of the world’s scientists may not possess. My father, an esteemed scientist and inventor, created groundbreaking machinery that rescued England’s fabric industry from a potential economic downturn. His invention not only altered the course of history but also averted the industry from bankruptcy. His exceptional intellect played a pivotal role.

In my case, I have and continue to contend with a condition that might offer insights and perspectives on answers that could shed light on questions being posed by the broader scientific community. For further details about my experiences and perspective, you can explore one of the listed links on this site.

So here we go again… There are three types of consciousness:

1. Waking consciousness,
2. Dream consciousness
3. Trance consciousness

However, the attention seems to be focussed on waking consciousness rather than dreams or trance consciousness. For example, can Robots dream or enter a trance state. This would be an interesting issue to discuss and debate. I will be interested in your views.

My Question to AI: What is the latest AI definition of ‘consciousness’?

Answer, verbatim:

“The question of what consciousness is remains a complex and debated topic in philosophy, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence (AI). While there isn’t a definitive answer, recent advancements in AI and neuroscience have led to interesting discussions and approaches.

In AI, researchers are exploring various models and architectures to understand and simulate aspects of consciousness. Neural network models, particularly those inspired by the brain’s architecture, such as recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and convolutional neural networks (CNNs), are commonly used in AI applications.

Some researchers are working on integrating symbolic reasoning and symbolic AI with neural networks to create more holistic and human-like systems. Explainable AI (XAI) is another area of focus, aiming to develop AI systems that can provide transparent and understandable explanations for their decisions, which is relevant to the question of consciousness.

Neuroscientific research continues to contribute to our understanding of consciousness. Brain imaging technologies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG), provide insights into the neural correlates of consciousness.

It’s important to note that while AI can simulate certain cognitive functions, achieving true consciousness in machines remains a challenging and philosophical question. The field is dynamic, and ongoing research may lead to new perspectives and breakthroughs in the future.”

We don’t seem to have progressed very far since is still being debated. This sort of debate may never be resolved, Especially as AI points out “….there isn’t a definitive answer”.

Therefore maybe it’s the definition of “Consciousness” itself that it is causing confusion. Since there are so many dictionaries and scholars with their own individual views, it’s not surprising.

I decided to look up the earliest description I could find in the Oxford Dictionary site which was 1605: “The state of being aware of and responsive to one’s surroundings, regarded as the normal condition of waking life”. And then to ask AI

Question to AI: “What is the Oxford dictionary explanation of consciousness?”

Consciousness
1. the state of being aware of and able to think about one’s own existence, sensations, thoughts, and surroundings; the fact of being conscious.
2. the state of being awake and aware of one’s surroundings.
3. a person’s awareness or perception of something.

Since I believe it would be impossible to have consciousness without perception which is my forte (see next page for a rather interesting question).

However, it depends if the meaning changes in the AI world. Then it may not be the real meaning of consciousness but rather the AI explanation. Or maybe they will have to have an AI type of perception. Which of course would not be the same and the question would still be on the table.

I believe I can teach the robot machine to have a small measure of perception with my research that I have collected through the last 30 years. I challenge the AI world to come up with something better without placing a human chip into the Robot machine. However, it would still not be the same as human consciousness as it depends on outside influences and feelings which a robot is devoid of. It would be like trying to explain a bright colour to a person who was born blind.

Another question which is far more direct and can be adjusted with new research:

Question: “Can professors spot an AI response to an exam?”

There has been a challenge to see if professors can spot an AI response to an exam essay. There was some rather interesting research by Kevin Collier in 2023:
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/chatgpt-ai-consciousness-rcna71777

All these independent researches aligns with the idea that as scientists make discoveries and answer questions, new questions inevitably arise, leading to an ongoing process of exploration and inquiry. It’s a bit like when a scientist finds an answer to a question there are a thousand more questions it opens up to be answered.