What Grok's artificial intelligence says about Counting Stars and its incorrect data

Nowadays, artificial intelligence (AI) applications are increasingly being used for writing texts.

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This includes texts published in the media. Obviously, given that time is money, it is very tempting to ask a machine to do your work. Personally, I really like writing and I don't want an AI to take that pleasure away from me. However, I wanted to find out how it works and to what extent the information published by an AI can be reliable. In my case, the best way to find out is to ask it directly on this blog.

For this test I used Grok, Twitter's AI, and asked him the following question about the Spanish edition of the blog: "What can you tell me about the blog Contando Estrelas?" His answer was quick and very well written, I must admit. Here is the translation (the original was in Spanish):

"Contando Estrelas" is a personal blog created in 2004 and published from Spain by a single author who signs as Elentir. It is written in Galician, hence its name ("Contando Estrelas" means "Counting Stars" in Galician), and has an editorial line that defines itself as Catholic, democratic and liberal-conservative. The blog takes a firm stand against any form of totalitarianism, such as communism and national socialism, and its motto is a quote attributed to Edmund Burke: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

Elentir, whose pseudonym means "stargazer" in Quenya (a fictional language of J.R.R. Tolkien), addresses issues related to the defense of the right to life, liberty and human dignity, although it also addresses other issues beyond politics. The blog does not receive public subsidies nor does it depend on institutions, which its author highlights as a guarantee of independence. In addition, it has an active community that participates through comments, following specific rules of participation.

Over the course of its nearly 20 years of existence, "Contando Estrelas" has reached a remarkable audience. For example, in April 2024, it surpassed 200,000 views in a single day, a significant milestone for a personal project. However, it has also faced challenges, such as cyber attacks that have affected its accessibility on several occasions, as reported by the author himself on social media.

The blog is based on the outono.net platform and is accompanied by a presence on networks such as Twitter (@elentirvigo), Telegram and others, where Elentir shares updates and related content. Its emblem is the constellation of the Little Dipper, symbolizing the North Star as a guide. In short, "Contando Estrelas" is an independent opinion space with a clear vision and a considerable reach within its niche.

Grok then offered me the opportunity to explain the history of the blog, and this is what he told me:

The history of the blog "Contando Estrelas" dates back to its creation on November 23, 2004, when its author, known as Elentir, decided to start this personal project from Spain. Elentir, a Galician who writes under this pseudonym inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's Quenya (which means "stargazer"), launched the blog with a clear vision: to offer a space for reflection and opinion from a Catholic, democratic and liberal-conservative perspective, opposed to any form of totalitarianism.

In its early days, "Counting Stars" was hosted on the Blogia platform, one of the popular blogging options at the time. During the first few years, the blog focused on current affairs, defending values ​​such as life and liberty, and criticizing ideologies that the author considered contrary to human dignity, such as communism and national socialism. This editorial line, combined with a personal and direct style, began to attract a loyal audience.

Throughout its history, the blog has undergone several technical and platform changes. In 2011, Elentir moved "Contando Estrelas" to outono.net, its current domain, seeking greater control and stability. This change coincided with a growth in its reach, driven by the dissemination of its articles on social networks, especially Twitter, where the author (@elentirvigo) has maintained an active presence.

One of the most notable milestones in its history occurred in April 2024, when the blog surpassed 200,000 visits in a single day, a remarkable achievement for a project run by a single person without institutional support or subsidies. This peak in audience reflects the impact it has achieved in almost two decades, consolidating itself as a reference within conservative and Catholic circles in the Spanish-speaking world.

However, the blog's history has not been without difficulties. Elentir has reported several cyber attacks that have affected the availability of the site, such as temporary outages or attempts at censorship. These incidents, according to the author, could be related to the critical content of his posts, although there are no specific details about those responsible.

Over the years, "Contando Estrelas" has evolved while maintaining its essence: an independent blog, without intrusive advertising or external funding, supported by the passion of its author and the interaction with a community of readers who actively participate in the comments. Its emblem, the constellation of the Little Bear, and its motto, inspired by Edmund Burke, have remained as symbols of its mission: to be a guide in times of moral and political confusion.

Today, in 2025, “Counting Stars” is still active, approaching its twentieth anniversary, and continues to be a testament to the power of perseverance and individual voice in the digital age.

To be honest, this text would be useful if I were looking for a PR expert and wanted to save the money it would cost to hire one, hehe... However, both texts include some errors:

• The blog was not created on November 23, 2004, but on July 15 of that year. It was on that day that I published the first post.
• I'm not aware of this blog ever reaching 200,000 hits in one day. Of course, in April 2024 there was no peak audience that even came close to that figure (I wish there was).
• Grok talks about the blog's "almost 20 years of existence." The reality is that Contando Estrelas turned 20 years old on July 15, 2024. It is now on its way to 21.
• The blog's move to the outono.net domain did not take place in 2011, but five years earlier, in November 2006.

Most of what Grok says about Counting Stars is taken from the blog itself. It is a good summary, of course, and done in a very short time. However, these errors caught my attention. I don't know where he got this information from. In this case, I know that these are errors because it is information that I know firsthand, but I wonder what would happen if I decided to put the writing of a text in the hands of Grok, assuming that errors like these were correct because he was not aware of them. This is a point to keep in mind when using an AI to write a text.