Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot has thrown fresh doubt on a viral teaser that appears to show Tesla CEO Elon Musk sitting down for a podcast with Indian billionaire Nikhil Kamath, saying the 39‑second clip “appears to be AI-generated.”
Who is Nikhil Kamath and what is the teaser?
Nikhil Kamath is the co‑founder of Zerodha and host of the popular “WTF” podcast, which has featured high‑profile guests including political leaders, tech founders and global business figures. On 28 November 2025, Kamath posted a 39‑second black‑and‑white teaser on X showing him and Elon Musk in what looks like a factory setting, quietly sipping coffee, exchanging glances and breaking into laughter.
The clip, captioned only “Caption this” and tagged to Musk’s account, immediately triggered a frenzy, amassing millions of views as users marvelled at the possibility of the world’s richest man appearing on an Indian entrepreneur’s podcast. The minimalist teaser has no dialogue, just ambient sounds and the two men’s laughter, which added to the mystery and speculation around how Kamath managed to secure Musk as a guest.
How Grok entered the debate
As the video spread, many X users began to question whether the footage was genuine or an AI‑crafted deepfake, directly tagging Grok, the in‑house chatbot on Musk’s platform, for a verdict. When asked if the teaser was real or AI‑generated, Grok replied that the clip “appears to be AI‑generated,” pointing to signs such as unnatural face morphing and visual artefacts typical of AI‑edited content.
In some responses, Grok went further, suggesting that the video seemed to use AI for face morphing between Kamath and Musk to create a stylised teaser effect rather than capturing an authentic, real‑time interaction. The model also noted the lack of confirmed information about a real‑world meeting at the time of posting, framing its answer as an assessment based on visual cues and available public discussion.
What the teaser actually shows
The teaser itself is carefully staged: a monochrome, cinematic frame shows Kamath and Musk seated opposite each other at a table, with an industrial or factory‑style backdrop in the distance. At one moment both men are seen sipping from cups, with Kamath’s mug bearing a SpaceX logo, fuelling speculation that the shoot might have taken place at a SpaceX facility.
There is no on‑screen text beyond Kamath’s “Caption this” post, and there are no spoken lines, only the shuffle of paper, the clink of cups and their shared laughter. The stripped‑back design and dramatic lighting make the video look like a high‑budget trailer, which some viewers interpreted as proof of a major upcoming episode while others saw it as a deliberate AI‑style stunt.
Social media reaction and doubts
User reaction split almost immediately into two camps: those convinced that Kamath had actually landed Musk for the next instalment of “WTF,” and those suspecting a deepfake or heavily AI‑assisted promo. Supporters highlighted Kamath’s track record of securing heavyweight guests such as global tech leaders and billionaires, arguing that an Elon Musk appearance would be ambitious but not impossible.
Sceptics focused on subtle quirks in the video’s visuals and timing, questioning whether the facial expressions and laughter aligned naturally and whether frame‑by‑frame artefacts indicated AI processing. The debate intensified once Grok stated that the video appeared AI‑generated, with some users accusing the teaser of misleading viewers and others insisting it was simply clever marketing for a real conversation.
Grok’s wording and its implications
Grok’s responses used cautious but firm language, repeatedly saying the video “appears to be AI-generated” and referencing features like face morphing and unnatural blending around the faces. In at least one reply, the system described the clip as a hype‑building promotional piece rather than evidence of a confirmed, real‑time meeting between Kamath and Musk.
However, Grok also acknowledged uncertainty, noting that some “sources” treated the teaser as marketing for a genuine upcoming episode, suggesting that AI effects might be layered on top of real footage for humour or impact. This ambiguity has left viewers with two main possibilities: a full AI deepfake used purely as a teaser, or a real shoot enhanced with AI‑styled editing to amplify buzz.
Has the podcast been confirmed as real?
News reports widely describe Elon Musk as “likely” to feature on an upcoming episode of Kamath’s “WTF” podcast, citing the teaser and Kamath’s post as the primary signals. At the time of the controversy, there had been no direct, explicit confirmation from Musk himself within the teaser or a separate post stating that the episode was recorded and scheduled.
Coverage emphasises that the clip is being treated as a promotional glimpse rather than definitive proof of a full, released conversation, with the exact nature of the recording still not fully clarified publicly. This gap between viral video and formal confirmation has created fertile ground for both excitement and suspicion, especially given how advanced generative AI video tools have become.
Why this matters for AI, deepfakes and trust
The episode lands at a moment when deepfake technology and AI‑generated video are already challenging public trust in what is seen online. When even an AI model associated with the owner of the platform suggests that a viral clip featuring that same owner “appears to be AI-generated,” it sharpens questions about authenticity, transparency and disclosure in digital marketing.
For creators and brands, the teaser highlights both the power and risk of AI‑styled promos: they can drive enormous attention and speculation, but may also leave audiences feeling manipulated if the line between real footage and synthetic content is not clearly communicated. For viewers, the debate underscores the need to treat visually convincing clips with caution, especially when they surface without context, dialogue or independent confirmation.
Nikhil Kamath’s growing global profile
Regardless of whether the teaser is fully AI‑generated or AI‑enhanced, it underscores Kamath’s ambition to position “WTF” as a global‑scale podcast that can sit alongside top international shows. The very fact that millions of people found a Musk‑Kamath conversation plausible speaks to the way Kamath has leveraged his finance background and existing guest list to build a high‑visibility media brand.
Previous episodes have already helped blur the line between Indian and global tech conversations, and a Musk feature, real or teased via AI, pushes that boundary further by drawing worldwide attention. In that sense, the teaser functions as both content and commentary on influence: an Indian founder’s show is now central to a global argument about AI, deepfakes and who gets to define what is real.
What to watch for next
The key questions now are whether Kamath releases a full, clearly authentic episode featuring Musk, and how openly any AI use in the teaser or final cut is disclosed. A confirmed, long‑form conversation would likely overshadow the present doubts, but if no such episode appears, critics may treat the clip as an example of AI‑driven hype that pushed the boundary of acceptable promotion.
In the meantime, the saga has already provided a real‑time case study in the new media landscape, where celebrity, AI and social platforms intersect and even an official AI assistant can end up questioning the authenticity of content tied to its own creator. For Nikhil Kamath, the viral teaser has ensured one thing beyond doubt: his name and his podcast are now firmly lodged in a global conversation about the future of trust in the age of AI video.