Grok is being called out online after an extremely bad translation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s post about Captain Smit Machchhar rendered the captain’s name as “Mosquito Smith.”
The AI-generated translation of the post read “Captain Mosquito Smith is a hero,” apparently translating the Hindi word “मच्छर” literally instead of recognising Machchhar as a proper name.
Modi had praised Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage during an cockpit attack aboard a Flydubai flight. In his post, Modi described Machchhar as a hero who, despite being seriously injured and facing extreme danger, showed courage and determination to save the lives of others.
The translation error quickly drew reactions online, with users pointing out the bizarre rendering of the captain’s name. One user described the translation as an “wtf kind of translation”. Another post said the translation had the potential to become a viral meme.
Social media personality Abhijit Chavda also called out the error, commenting, “This is a terrible translation.”
Grok Acknowledges Its Mistake
Grok later acknowledged the mistake while replying to Chavda. It said, “Agreed, terrible job,” and explained that “मच्छर” means mosquito, which resulted in Smit Machchhar being turned into “Mosquito Smith.”
Grok then provided the corrected translation: “Captain Smit Machchhar is a hero. Even in moments of utmost danger and while seriously injured, he showed unparalleled courage and unwavering determination to save others. His bravery saved hundreds of lives and averted a major disaster. India is proud of Captain Machchhar. We pray for his speedy recovery, renewed energy and good health.”
