“This summer, Telegram users will have access to the best artificial intelligence technology on the market. Elon Musk and I have agreed on a one-year partnership to bring xAI’s Grok chatbot to our more than one billion users and integrate it into all Telegram apps. This also strengthens Telegram’s financial position: we will receive $300 million in cash and stock from xAI, plus 50% of the revenues from xAI subscriptions sold through Telegram.”
With these words, Pavel Durov announced on Telegram a strategic partnership between his platform and xAI, the artificial intelligence company founded by Elon Musk. The agreement provides for the integration of Grok, xAI’s AI chatbot, within Telegram, marking a significant step towards creating a technological ecosystem that could compete with giants such as Google (with Gemini) and Microsoft/OpenAI (with ChatGPT and Bing).
The digital crusade of Elon Musk and Pavel Durov
Elon Musk has often criticized the woke approach of current artificial intelligences, arguing that many of them are overly politically correct and limited in their ability to provide authentic answers. Grok was born as a response to this vision, proposing itself as a freer AI and less constrained by ideological filters.
Pavel Durov, for his part, has faced several disputes related to content moderation on Telegram. Recently, he accused the French authorities of meddling in Romania’s elections through pressure to censor certain content on the platform. These common positions against censorship and in favor of freedom of expression brought Musk and Durov closer together, culminating in the collaboration for the integration of Grok on Telegram.
Grok features, how Elon Musk’s AI works
Grok is an AI chatbot developed by xAI with the goal of providing more authentic and less filtered responses than other artificial intelligences. Here are some of its main features:
Real-time access to information
Grok can access real-time information across the web and the X platform (formerly Twitter), allowing for up-to-date and relevant responses.
“Think” and “Big Brain” modes
These modes allow Grok to tackle complex problems, spending more time developing answers and improving the quality of the solutions provided.
Humorous and provocative tone
Inspired by “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, Grok is designed to respond with a touch of humor and provocation, making interactions more engaging.
Multimodal capabilities
Grok supports text and image generation, editing user-uploaded images, and coming soon, a voice mode for more natural interactions.
Integration with X and Telegram
In addition to availability on X, Grok will be integrated directly into Telegram, giving users instant access to AI within the messaging platform.
How to use xAI’s Grok for free and subscription plans
Currently, Grok is available for free to all users through X and, soon, on Telegram. However, free access has some limitations, such as a maximum number of “Think” responses per hour.
For more extensive access and advanced features, xAI offers subscription plans:
- X Premium: Starting at $8 per month, it offers a greater number of answers and additional features.
- X Premium+: Starting at $40 per month, it includes early access to new features like voice mode.
- SuperGrok: Advanced plan with unlimited access and priority support.
Users will be able to subscribe to these subscriptions directly through Telegram, with 50% of revenues going to the platform.
The differences between Grok, ChatGPT and Gemini
While Grok stands out for its less filtered and more provocative approach, ChatGPT and Gemini adopt different strategies:
- ChatGPT (OpenAI): focused on accurate and secure answers, with a large knowledge base and integrations with productivity tools.
- Gemini (Google): offers up-to-date answers thanks to integration with Google’s search engine, maintaining a more neutral and professional tone.
- Grok (xAI): aims for a more direct and less censored interaction, ideal for users looking for answers without ideological filters. However, this approach has raised concerns about the spread of incorrect or controversial information.
With the integration of Grok on Telegram, Elon Musk and Pavel Durov are building an alternative technology ecosystem, challenging AI giants and promoting a freer and less censored view of artificial intelligence. It will be interesting to see how this collaboration will affect the AI landscape in the coming years.
