X, the social network recently rebranded from Twitter, has announced that its Grok AI chatbot is now accessible to Premium subscribers. Initially available only to Premium+ subscribers, the expansion allows those paying $8 a month to engage with Grok in either 'Regular' or 'Fun' mode, reflecting Elon Musk's ambition to rival other AI services like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini.
The rollout of Grok marks a significant step in X's strategy to enhance its service offerings and compete in the rapidly growing AI sector. Musk, who has been openly critical of OpenAI, views Grok as a direct competitor, emphasizing its potential in providing unbiased content.
Grok, part of Musk’s xAI initiative, was first introduced to Premium+ users who pay $16 monthly, showcasing advanced features such as news summarization directly integrated into X's platform. This move comes amid Musk’s legal battle with OpenAI, where he accuses the firm of deviating from its non-profit origins and alleges a betrayal of foundational goals.
The introduction of Grok to a broader audience is also seen as Musk's push to draw in investments for developing xAI further. High-profile venture funds and individual investors are reportedly in talks to inject up to $3 billion into the venture, despite the competitive funding environment dominated by tech giants like Microsoft backing OpenAI with substantial financial resources.