Elon Musk, the owner of X, has recently confirmed that the company’s new AI chatbot, Grok, developed by xAI, will be available to Premium+ subscribers within the next week. This announcement follows shortly after app researcher Nima Owji shared screenshots indicating the addition of Grok to X’s web app. Though Musk is known for ambitious timelines, the code developments in X’s app suggest that the integration of Grok is well underway.
Grok, which was first tested on November 4, represents Musk’s venture into the competitive field of AI chatbots, a space currently dominated by players like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard. xAI promises that Grok will stand out with a unique personality, responding with wit and even addressing “spicy” questions that other AI systems avoid.
The introduction of Grok is part of a broader strategy to boost the appeal of X’s Premium subscription services. X has recently restructured its subscription model into three tiers: Basic, Premium, and Premium+, with Grok being a feature of the highest tier, priced at $16 per month. This move comes at a critical time for X, as the platform faces challenges with an advertiser exodus and scrutiny over content moderation issues.
The launch of Grok coincides with significant events at rival AI company OpenAI, where CEO Sam Altman experienced a brief ousting due to a board disagreement. Musk’s history with OpenAI adds a layer of intrigue to Grok’s launch, as he was an early co-founder who later departed to establish his own AI firm.
Grok is poised to leverage a knowledge base akin to ChatGPT and Meta’s Llama 2 but with the added capability of accessing real-time information through X’s platform. This feature could differentiate Grok in the rapidly evolving AI chatbot landscape, though its accuracy remains to be seen. Musk’s foray into this space signifies a significant development in the AI industry, potentially reshaping the dynamics of AI-powered social platforms.