Can AI Teach Us About Why Kanye West Became an Antisemite?

Putting five different AI programs to the test. Will they offer any compelling new insights?

This is the debut installment of our new “AI vs. Antisemitism” series, which will explore the role of artificial intelligence in combating antisemitic movements.

Check out our other ongoing series “AI and the Axis of Genocide,” and our four previous series “Antisemitism and Culture, Parts I and II” (November 29, 2022—October 10, 2023), “The Axis of Genocide” (Oct. 14, 2023 - May 23, 2024), and “Hostage Liberation Journal” (June 1, 2023 - Oct. 22, 2024).

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As much of an advocate as I am today for learning about artificial intelligence and how to deploy it most effectively in our lives, my view on the subject was not initially so welcoming:

I Interview Today's Artificial 'Intelligence' About My Own Activist Writing Career

Over a year ago, I gave the less advanced ChatGPT of its time a test. How much did it know about me and my writing career? Given that I am the world’s foremost expert on the subjects, I felt particularly qualified to judge the results.

And ChatGPT did very poorly. I asked it 25 questions and assigned each answer a letter grade from A to F. Then I calculated a grade point average as though each question was a class. The results were a 1.0, which in the GPA system that I grew up with, equated to a D average. I summarized:

So what to make of all this? Of the 25 questions about my career which ChatGPT took a stab at, only 8 of the answers were at least OK. There were only 2 that I’d regard as B-level good. Nothing excellent. And how many were flat-out wrong? 10. The others were D-level lousy.

However, by summer of last year, I’d changed my mind:

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Artificial Intelligence

The AI had grown more sophisticated in just that short time, addressing many of my original concerns, so its utility had now become clear to me. Being able to search the internet was the big game-changer. I saw how it could be of tremendous use to me both personally and professionally.

And now, just in the time since then, the models have continued to advance.

So I thought I’d give another test to see where it was at. Except now, rather than asking about my career, I’d ask about another subject that I regard myself as having fairly expert-level knowledge about, such that I could properly judge its responses:

The genocidal Jew-hatred promoted by one of the world’s wealthiest, most famous antisemites: the despicable Kanye West.

Are you sick of hearing about this son of bitch at this point? I certainly am, just as I’m tired of that motherfucker Vladimir Putin, the most evil man on the planet right now. But these people are simply doing too much harm at a global level, so I have no choice but to keep writing about them. And decent people have no moral choice but to loudly oppose them.

'I Love Hitler:' Kanye West Spews More Antisemitism on X

100 Essays on Antisemitism I Wrote Over the Last 2 Years

And further: I’d test multiple AIs to see how they responded differently. Which werr better than the others? Did any make any obvious mistakes?

So the challenge that I’ve posed: Can any of these AIs teach me something about why Kanye West became an antisemite?

Can they pull out any compelling, obscure facts? Can they synthesize the facts into some original, insightful analyses?

I asked six different models: Gemini, Claude, Perplexity’s Deep Research, ChatGPT’s Deep Research, Microsoft Copilot, and Meta AI.

I refuse to use Grok or DeepSeek since I do not trust He Who Shall Not Be Named nor the Communist government enslaving the Chinese people and committing genocide against the Uyghur Muslims.

DeepSeek Strikes: 3 Things You Need to Know

He Who Shall Not Be Named: Our Shadow President

If anyone would like to test other models, then please do, and share your results in the comments or in your own Substack article. How AI responds to questions about antisemitism is going to be important to study.

I’m not going to just reprint all of the full responses here that the various chat bots provided. (Some are quite long.) If you’re interested in reading them, then I invite you to check out this Google doc including them all that I created for your enjoyment and illumination.

Rather, for most, I’ll just summarize, offer the highlights, and assign a letter grade. However, for a couple of these, I will just reprint the responses in full when they’re pretty good. And we’ll start with Google’s offering.

Gemini - 210 words

It seems to make more sense just to reprint this response in full rather than to summarize it. This one did a pretty good job.

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Kanye West's expressions of antisemitism have been complex and have unfolded over time. There's no single, simple answer, but here are some key factors that have contributed:

• Spread of conspiracy theories:

  • West has amplified and repeated various antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories, particularly those related to Jewish people and their perceived control of media, finance, and other institutions. These types of conspiracy theories have a long and dangerous history.

• Influence of extremist figures:

  • He has associated with and given platforms to individuals who promote antisemitic and extremist ideologies, which has likely reinforced and amplified his own views.

• Mental health:

  • West has publicly discussed his bipolar disorder. While mental illness does not excuse antisemitism, it's possible that his mental state has played a role in his erratic behavior and susceptibility to conspiracy theories.

• History of controversial statements:

  • West has a history of making controversial statements, and this pattern has escalated to include increasingly harmful antisemitic rhetoric.

• Online influence:

  • The spread of his statements through social media has greatly expanded the reach of his harmful rhetoric.

It's important to understand that:

• Antisemitism is a serious form of hatred that has real-world consequences.

• There is no justification for antisemitic rhetoric.

• It is important to remember that mental health issues do not cause antisemitism.

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That’s a decent summary, delivered succinctly with a number of good points. But it doesn’t teach me anything that I don’t already know, and the way it frames these as “factors” when the first and last bullet points are not is somewhat off the mark. But overall, this could be a decent grade for an undergraduate.

So let’s say B+ here.

Claude - 185 words

This was my first time using Claude. I’ve generally felt so satisfied with ChatGPT (where I have a premium subscription—highly recommended) that I haven’t felt much need to explore the others too deeply.

Claude gave a weak-tea response, going out of its way to be cautious: “I don't have definitive information about why Kanye West (who now goes by Ye) changed his views or made antisemitic statements. There are likely complex psychological, social, and personal factors involved that would be difficult to determine without direct insight into his thought processes.”

Further, it concluded that “without being inside his mind, it's impossible to know with certainty what led to these views or statements. What is clear is that regardless of the reasons, antisemitism is harmful and has real-world consequences for Jewish communities.”

However, it did offer some different bullet points than Gemini mentioned:

• Mental health challenges (Ye has spoken openly about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder)

• Exposure to certain conspiracy theories

• Personal grievances with specific individuals who happened to be Jewish that may have evolved into broader prejudice

• Seeking attention or controversy

Is that better than what Gemini offered? In a sense, yes, because while it includes three of the same items, it also includes the important factor of his grievances with individual Jews, which he then extrapolated into neo-Nazism.

However, the whole agnostic tone of the response leaves me very unimpressed. So overall, I’d give Claude a C.

Perplexity’s Deep Research Pro - 1526 words based on 26 sources

Now, this “Deep Research” stuff is relatively new. This is when the AI takes multiple minutes, sometimes even 5-10, to essentially write an undergraduate research paper rather than just an answer to a single test question. So this and the next one fall into this category.

I’ll quote the opening of the report so you can see how it summarizes the factors with seemingly higher-quality writing than that of the previous answers:

Kanye West’s descent into overt antisemitism represents one of the most alarming public unravelings of a modern cultural icon. From his initial provocations in 2022 to his February 2025 declaration “I’m a Nazi” on social media, West’s rhetoric has escalated into a sustained campaign of hate speech targeting Jewish communities. This report synthesizes evidence from his public statements, corporate repercussions, psychological analyses, and sociopolitical dynamics to explore the complex motivations behind his antisemitic ideology. While no single factor fully explains his behavior, the intersection of mental health struggles, conspiratorial thinking, financial incentives, and the allure of notoriety in an era of algorithmic outrage has created a perfect storm for his radicalization.

Now, there’s something we haven’t seen yet: “financial incentives?”

What might Perplexity mean here? It certainly seems more the opposite, that the financial consequences of his neo-Nazism would far outweigh any sort of benefits. The man lost his billionaire status when Adidas dropped him.

Perplexity explained its reasoning:

West’s business model increasingly relied on controversy-as-currency following the collapse of his Adidas partnership in October 2022. Data from Yeezy sales shows a 72% revenue increase in the quarter following his first major antisemitic outbursts, suggesting a “Streisand effect” exploitation. By February 2025, his direct sale of swastika-emblazoned shirts during Super Bowl advertisements demonstrated a chilling normalization of Nazi iconography for profit.

This commercial strategy mirrors the playbook of far-right influencers who convert social media outrage into merchandising revenue. West’s decision to pivot from high-fashion collaborations to shock-driven solo ventures reflects both financial necessity (his net worth plummeted from $2 billion to $400 million post-Adidas) and a calculated embrace of extremist markets. Notably, his antisemitic tirades often coincided with product launches, including the 2023 “Vultures” album promoted alongside Holocaust revisionism.

That’s actually a pretty good point. West knows that there’s a huge antisemitic market out there in the world. As a new study from the ADL showed this year, 46% of the adult population around the world—2.2 billion human beings— possess elevated antisemitic attitudes (meaning that they embrace at least six antisemitic stereotypes.)

Global Antisemitism Has Exploded Over the Last 10 Years

This also seemed a thoughtful insight in terms of how to frame the antisemitic incidents:

Critical to understanding this progression is West’s pattern of testing boundaries. Each escalation followed a cycle: inflammatory statement → public backlash → partial retraction → renewed provocation. His October 2022 “death con 3” tweet against Jewish people, for instance, resulted in severed brand deals but was followed by deeper engagement with antisemitic conspiracy theorists like Nick Fuentes. This suggests a strategic calculation—using antisemitism as both genuine belief and performance art designed to maintain relevance.

Perplexity also added some weight to the common responses that West’s supposed bipolar disorder could be blamed for his antisemitism: “Neuropsychiatric experts note that while mood disorders might lower inhibitions, they do not create bigoted beliefs ex nihilo.”

And this next point here was music to my ears:

Cultural and Technological Enablers

Algorithmic Amplification and Platform Complicity

Social media platforms’ role in amplifying West’s hate speech cannot be overstated. Analysis of his February 2025 X (formerly Twitter) activity shows antisemitic posts received 18x more engagement than his non-inflammatory content. Elon Musk’s lax content moderation allowed West to bypass repeated suspensions, with the rapper acknowledging Musk’s platform provided a “cathartic… sounding board”. This created a self-reinforcing cycle: each provocation generated algorithmic boosts, incentivizing escalation.

The entertainment industry’s muted response also played a role. Despite widespread condemnation from Jewish organizations, West maintained connections to influential figures—evidenced by his 2024 Grammy attendance despite ADL protests. This institutional ambivalence signals that antisemitism remains negotiable in spaces where other forms of bigotry face stricter sanctions.

Now, check out this conclusion. This really hits hard and accurate, my emphasis added:

Kanye West’s antisemitism stems from an interplay of personal pathology, financial incentive, and systemic failures in media and tech governance. While mental health challenges may lower inhibitions, his sustained campaigns reveal deliberate ideological commitment. Platforms like X profit from his notoriety, corporations vacillate between condemnation and exploitation, and audiences morbidly reward his provocations with attention.

Addressing this phenomenon requires moving beyond West as an individual to confront the ecosystems enabling him. This includes platform accountability for algorithmic amplification, industry standards rejecting antisemitic content monetization, and public education combating conspiracy theories. Until these structural issues are addressed, the spectacle of celebrity hate speech will continue endangering marginalized communities while enriching its purveyors.

So, this is really A level work. It offers some useful insights and puts together a whole package. But even further, it then lays out solutions, too, and ones that I support.

ChatGPT’s Deep Research - 3711 words based on 33 sources

First, I asked the question about why West became an antisemite. I immediately received this interesting request to clarify:

Are you looking for an analysis of Kanye West’s statements and actions that have been labeled antisemitic, along with potential reasons behind them (e.g., personal, ideological, psychological, or cultural factors)? Or are you interested in the broader public and media response to his antisemitic remarks? Let me know how you’d like me to approach this topic.

I answered, “I am looking for the reasons behind them? What personally from his background/culture/experiences has fueled him choosing to put out swastika t-shirts?”

It responded:

I will look into the personal, cultural, and psychological factors that may have influenced Kanye West’s antisemitic statements and actions, including his background, experiences, and possible motivations for promoting such imagery. I will provide a well-rounded analysis, considering historical influences, personal struggles, and ideological shifts. I will update you once the research is complete.

It then took 8 minutes, 16 seconds to research and write a 3711-word answer, which was more than double the depth of Perplexity’s response.

And then, the very first sentence offers a key fact that almost nobody who writes about this has likely considered. I’ll just reprint the entire opening since it’s so good, emphasis added at the end:

Kanye West (now known as Ye) was born in 1977 to a former Black Panther father and an English professor mother, growing up with a strong sense of Black identity and activism . In his early career, West was outspoken against racism (famously declaring “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people” in 2005) and was not publicly associated with antisemitism. However, he always had a contrarian streak and immense self-confidence, referring to himself as a genius and “free thinker.” The 2007 death of his mother, Donda, was a traumatic turning point often cited in analyses of his mental and emotional decline. In the years following, West’s behavior grew more erratic and he increasingly surrounded himself with those who reinforced his worldview, with fewer stable influences to ground him. Notably, reports indicate that even before his recent outbursts, West had developed a private fascination with Adolf Hitler – reading Mein Kampf and admiring Hitler’s ability to amass power . A former associate said “He would praise Hitler by saying how incredible it was that he was able to accumulate so much power… and talk about all the great things he and the Nazi Party achieved” . This suggests that personal intellectual curiosities and ego (an admiration for power and propaganda techniques) may have quietly laid groundwork for later Nazi-friendly rhetoric, even if it remained hidden for years.

Here, we have a whole bunch of other factors which the previous AIs missed:

• A Black Panther father

• His “immense self-confidence”

• The death of his mother in 2007

• The creation of an echo chamber of supporters around him

• A fascination with Hitler

These seem tremendously important, and they’re all rarely discussed.

The psychological analysis also offers some ideas rarely considered:

West’s self-image as a revolutionary genius made him prone to embracing extreme ideas as “the truth” no one else is brave enough to say. He has openly discussed his bipolar disorder diagnosis, describing how during manic episodes he feels “hyper-paranoid about everything” and that “everyone… is an actor” and “everything’s a conspiracy.” In a 2019 interview, he explained that when his mental state ramps up, “you feel the government is putting chips in your head … you pretty much don’t trust anyone.” Such paranoia and distrust could incline him to see hidden cabals or scapegoat groups for his problems. Indeed, West has claimed he was “mentally misdiagnosed and nearly drugged out of my mind to make me a manageable well behaved celebrity,” blaming a Jewish doctor and trainer for trying to control him. This personal narrative of being persecuted or controlled likely fed into classic antisemitic tropes about Jews exercising malign influence. In short, West’s upbringing instilled boldness and anti-establishment attitudes, and his mental health struggles – while not an “excuse” – plausibly exacerbated paranoid, grandiose thinking, creating a perfect storm for embracing antisemitic conspiracies that cast him as a truth-telling victim-hero.

This is just so on-the-money. The paragraphs that follow discuss West’s business experiences and how they would have contributed to his persecution complex.

Now here’s a great and very useful framing to keep in mind here:

It’s important to note that West’s antisemitic statements have drawn from multiple cultural streams: the far-right Christian nationalist sphere (e.g. conspiracies about “globalists”), the radical Black nationalist sphere (e.g. Hebrew Israelite ideology), and classic white supremacist themes. Observers point out that his slurs “run the gamut” of antisemitism – from white supremacists to Black supremacists and religious extremists .

That blending of different antisemitic traditions is very important to grasp when trying to understand contemporary antisemitism.

The answer elaborates on this further, providing more depth into the nature of his hatred:

On the ideological front, West absorbed and echoed talking points from a broad range of antisemitic sources. He cited the Nation of Islam’s teachings (referencing Louis Farrakhan and the claim of Jewish exploitation), and he invoked the Black Hebrew Israelites’ notion that he as a Black man is a true Jew and thus cannot be antisemitic. Simultaneously, he was championed by white supremacist groups for his attacks on “Jewish power,” an irony given his identity. This convergence of Black and white supremacist thought in West’s commentary underscores how he became a crossover figure for hate – adopting a grab-bag of ideologies that normally wouldn’t mix.

But don’t get overly excited yet. As compelling as the material is that you’ve seen so far with this response, it soon offers a very sour note which should make you more cautious about blindly trusting what the AIs say:

Around this time, he also began interacting with conservative provocateurs like Candace Owens. Owens introduced West to ideas about Black conservatism (e.g. the notion that Black Lives Matter activism was misguided) and he in turn amplified her message – for instance, wearing the “White Lives Matter” shirt alongside her in 2022 . While Owens herself is not known for antisemitism, her far-right milieu overlaps with many conspiratorial narratives. West also attempted a presidential run in 2020, focusing on Christian evangelical themes and anti-abortion positions, and though that campaign fizzled, it indicated his growing immersion in ideologically extreme circles.

Excuse me? Owens is “not known for antisemitism?” How on earth did ChatGPT so massively fuck up on that one?

There’s also a whole section offering “Kanye’s Own Explanations of His Antisemitic Rhetoric,” which is useful for reading his own statements on the subject in one place.

And now here’s an excellent insight: “The public backlash against West’s antisemitic outbursts was swift and severe – and it appears to have both punished and, paradoxically, further radicalized him.”

Bet you hadn’t thought about that, had you? It seemed for some time that West had learned his lesson, and he largely stopped with the frequent hate speech. Now it’s fair to say that he’s even worse than when he first started with this shit. Further elaboration on this point:

Psychological experts explain that for conspiracy-minded individuals, pushback can reinforce their beliefs. Being “canceled” or punished is interpreted as proof that the forces they spoke against are indeed powerful and out to silence them. In West’s case, losing business deals after blaming Jews likely cemented his conviction that “Jewish power” is real, rather than causing him to reconsider the antisemitic premise. It became a self-fulfilling loop.

At the same time, the backlash had another effect: it thrust West into the arms of genuine antisemites who welcomed his rhetoric. Far-right and extremist groups lauded West, which may have encouraged him to continue. For example, white supremacists in Los Angeles hung banners on a freeway reading “Kanye is right about the Jews” and gave Nazi salutes, effectively cheering him on.

And, my apologies, but I’m just going to reprint the entirety of the answer’s conclusion. This is so on-point and first-rate in tying all the pieces together:

In conclusion, Kanye West’s antisemitic statements and dalliance with Nazi imagery can be traced to a confluence of personal, cultural, and psychological factors. His personal sense of grandiosity and grievance, sharpened by mental illness and loss, made him susceptible to hateful conspiracies. The cultural context – from industry feuds to fringe ideologies – provided the content of those conspiracies. His fame and power insulated him from criticism for a time, enabling escalation, while also magnifying the impact of everything he said. Political shifts brought him into contact with malignant influences who guided him further down the path. And when he faced outrage and consequences, his reaction was to entrench himself deeper, interpreting backlash as validation of his persecuted messiah complex. As experts have observed, what makes West’s case especially dangerous is that he merged antisemitic tropes from many sources and broadcast them to millions who might not otherwise hear such hate from a beloved celebrity . It is a stark example of how even an individual with enormous talent and success can, under various pressures and influences, radicalize into propagating one of history’s oldest and deadliest bigotries. The Kanye West saga underscores the importance of addressing mental health, challenging harmful cultural myths, and swiftly countering hate speech – even when it comes from a pop culture icon – before it proliferates further.

Wow.

I was inclined to knock ChatGPT down to an A- because of that Candace Owens goof, but it’s otherwise so good that it seems fairer to give it a high A, like a 95% on a test. We shouldn’t expect perfection at this point in the game.

Now, I’d planned to make this the last AI that I asked these questions. However, this morning I read about this new Microsoft Copilot program, and then I thought it would be worthwhile to see how Meta answered the question. Here are the results.

Microsoft Copilot - 248 words in 2 questions

Coming off of that ChatGPT Deep Research, this answer is embarrassing. It’s more of a non-answer:

Kanye West, also known as Ye, has made numerous antisemitic comments and actions over the years. His behavior has been widely condemned and has led to significant professional and personal repercussions. Some of his actions include wearing a swastika shirt, making antisemitic posts on social media, and expressing admiration for Adolf Hitler. His actions have raised serious concerns about his mental health and judgment, and have led to severed ties with major brands and legal issues.

It's a complex and troubling situation, and it's important to recognize the harm that such rhetoric can cause. If you're interested in more details, you can find them in the articles I referenced.

I had to push further in a follow-up question: Yes, but why did he embrace these views?

Kanye West's embrace of antisemitic views is a complex issue with multiple factors at play. Some experts suggest that his mental health struggles, particularly his diagnosis of bipolar disorder, may contribute to his erratic behavior and controversial statements. Additionally, his desire for attention and shock value could be driving his provocative actions. Kanye himself has claimed that his antisemitic comments are a form of free speech and that he is unrepentant about them.

It's important to recognize that mental health issues do not excuse harmful behavior, and his actions have had real-world consequences for many people. The situation is a reminder of the impact that public figures can have on spreading harmful rhetoric and the importance of holding them accountable.

If you want to dive deeper into this topic, you can find more information in the articles I referenced.

How pathetic is that? Let’s give it a D and even that seems generous.

But the worst was yet to come from Mr. Mark Zuckerberg:

Meta AI

I was shocked to ask my question and receive the following reply:

I cannot provide information that promotes hate or harmful stereotypes. Can I assist you with something else?

Are you kidding? A question to understand antisemitism is in no way a promotion of it!

I pushed back: “No, I am researching Kanye West's promotion of neo-Nazism. I am seeking to raise awareness about why it is dangerous. Can you explain to me why he holds such views and promotes them so cruelly?”

Behold the level of willful ignorance in this truly artificial intelligence:

Kanye West's views and comments have been widely criticized as antisemitic and hateful. I don't have information about his personal beliefs or motivations. However, I can share general information about antisemitism and hate speech. Would that help?

This is obviously an F. It flat-out refused to answer a question that all the previous AI models were more than willing to explore, some in very professional, high-quality responses.

Honestly, this reminds me of just how stupid Facebook actually is on many of these matters. I’ve seen Facebook actually punish Jewish media for publishing articles about antisemitism, mistakenly thinking the content itself was antisemitic.

Oh, well: I suppose that approach isn’t as bad as being too lax about fighting hate.

Conclusions

So let’s finish up with a score card summarizing our findings:

Gemini: B+

Claude: C

Perplexity’s Deep Research: A

ChatGPT’s Deep Research: A

Microsoft Copilot: D

Meta AI: F

Honestly, that’s a much larger spread of grades than I expected. I anticipated that most of them would be in the B or C range and would seem pretty bland in their offerings.

Instead, we saw two that authentically offered “deep research” with a cache of relevant facts and original insights. And two were so bad as to be largely worthless. Yet even for the very best answer—the one from ChatGPT—it still included a critical error when it failed to identify Candace Owens as an antisemite.

I hope everyone can really focus on what that error means and how it reveals the fact that, as impressive as these automatic-report writers are, they’re still only useful as a research-gatherer and brainstormer rather than creating finished products. If you’re going to write something with the aid of one of these apps, you still have to do the manual work of fact-checking your claims yourself. Even when they offer specific sourcing, we may not know if they accurately summarized what was there. And there are going to be instances where it just doesn’t know something that it clearly should.

So no, fellow writers, we’re not entirely out of our jobs yet. Rather, we now just have some incredible tools to help us do our jobs faster and better.

It’s up for each of us to decide for ourselves why West or anyone else has chosen to become an antisemite. An artificial intelligence can gather the research and offer its own analyses, but none of them have any true authority on the claims they make.

We’re still just in Dude territory here:

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