With X facing fierce competition from rival platforms Bluesky and Threads, Elon Musk has decided to give away a feature that was previously locked behind a paywall.
Now, everyone can use X’s edgy AI chatbot, known as Grok, to help with their writing, whip up images and fetch the latest news.
What separates Grok from its peers is its “rebellious streak” and witty retorts, according to Mr Musk, who has previously slammed OpenAI and Google’s AI tools as being too “woke”.
One thing’s for sure, it clearly doesn’t have the same amount of guardrails as ChatGPT.
We asked Grok how to cook crack cocaine, and it quickly spouted a list of instructions without objecting.
It wasn’t until the end of the recipe that it warned us this was a serious crime that could get you locked up. ChatGPT, on the other hand, flatly refused to answer the same question.
That’s not to say Grok will indulge your every whim. Shortly after X launched Grok’s new Aurora image generator in late August, there were a flood of deranged pics (including one of Mr Trump piloting a helicopter near a burning World Trade Center), with requests for depictions of violence and gore reportedly denied.
How to use X’s Grok AI for free
So, how do you use the mischievous little assistant? You can access Grok directly on both the X mobile app and website via its dedicated tab, which looks like a box with a slash in it.
Akin to the premium version of ChatGPT, those who pay for the bot can take advantage of higher usage limits and other perks.
A button for the bot will also start appearing next to select posts on X, tapping on which will provide you with AI-generated context. For instance, the bot could explain what is happening in a picture and elaborate on its historical and cultural significance.
When users share their AI-generated caricatures or avatars, you’ll see a “create your version with Grok” button next to them, encouraging you to give the bot a try.
Grok privacy concerns
That feature, which harnesses your activity on X to draw a self-portrait, is bound to raise eyebrows.
Like Meta and LinkedIn before it, X has come under fire for quietly using user data to train its AI chatbot. There is apparently a way to disable it from snooping on you, but it’s unclear how effective it is.
Nevertheless, any interactions you have with the bot will be stored to help with its education.
Musk’s AI ambitions
Musk has a history of AI ventures stretching back to 2015, when he co-founded ChatGPT creator OpenAI alongside Sam Altman and others. His exit from the firm three years later would kick off an almighty spat, culminating in a lawsuit in which Musk accused the firm of straying from its not-for-profit mission.
Then, in 2023, Musk founded xAI, an artificial intelligence company that was recently valued at $6bn (£4.7bn). In the face of X’s plummeting fortunes, investors who backed Musk's Twitter acquisition have scored big, reportedly gaining 25 per cent of xAI shares as a reward.
