Grok, xAI’s new GenAI chatbot, starts rolling out to X Premium+ subscribers

The AI chatbot arena is now getting a new player in the form of Grok, the ChatGPT competitor developed by xAI, the artificial intelligence (AI) venture spearheaded by Elon Musk. Grok’s inaugural presence is confined to X Premium+ subscribers in the US, the elite tier of offerings on the social media platform formerly identified as Twitter. Tailored to cater to a discerning audience, this premium subscription, priced at $16 per month (or $22 via the app), promises an advertisement-free environment and heightened interaction capabilities.

“ok buckle up everyone…access to@grok is now rolling out to Premium+ subscribers in the US over the next week. the longer you’ve been a subscriber, the sooner you can grok…you can find Grok in the side menu on web, iOS, and Android (app must be up to date)…on iOS & Android, you can add it to your bottom menu for easy access…don’t forget your towel!” X wrote in a post on the platform. The rollout of the AI chatbot commences today, and is expected to be completed by the time next week rolls out.

“Welcome to the world Grok — the ultimate ride or die,” said X CEO Linda Yaccarino in a post on X.

Personality-wise, Grok is positioned as an anti-woke alternative and carves its identity by embracing a personality reminiscent of a fusion between Tucker Carlson’s acerbic commentary and the unfiltered discourse found on Joe Rogan’s podcast. Musk’s vision for Grok is to provide users with a thought-provoking and politically incorrect conversational experience, diverging from the restrained demeanor characteristic of other AI chatbots.

While Grok’s edgy persona and colloquial responses have commanded attention, it adheres to certain constraints. Refraining from responding to sensitive queries and remaining text-only, Grok’s provocative nature operates within defined boundaries. Nonetheless, xAI envisions a future where Grok will transcend its current limitations, comprehending the content of images and videos.

The new chatbot operates on the foundation of the Grok-1 generative model, drawing from a knowledge base spanning up to Q3 2023. Integrating web data and insights from human assistants, Grok distinguishes itself by seamlessly incorporating real-time data from X posts into its responses. This distinctive feature can potentially provide an up-to-the-minute information feed, something that can give Grok the necessary edge to compete with the likes of ChatGPT, Bard, and the plethora of AI-powered chatbots that have cropped up in recent times.