Elon Musk’s xAI Expands Access to Grok Chatbot for X Premium Subscribers
Grok’s Open Source Move and Increased Availability
In a significant development, Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), announced on Tuesday that the company will soon offer the Grok chatbot to a wider range of paying subscribers. This announcement comes on the heels of xAI’s decision to open source its Grok large language model earlier in March. Musk revealed the news in a post on X, stating that Grok will be accessible to Premium subscribers later this week, expanding beyond the previous limitation to only Premium+ subscribers.
Competing with Popular Chatbots and Boosting Subscriber Numbers
This move could be interpreted as X’s attempt to directly compete with other well-known chatbots, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude. Additionally, it may also be a strategy to increase the platform’s subscriber base. The announcement comes at a time when data suggests that X is experiencing a decline in user engagement and struggling to maintain its current user base. Sensor Tower data, as reported by NBC News, indicates that X usage in the United States decreased by 18% year-over-year as of February and has dropped by 23% since Musk’s acquisition of the platform.
Impact of Musk’s Advertising Stance on Revenue
Musk’s confrontational approach towards advertisers may have also negatively impacted the company’s revenue potential. Sensor Tower discovered that 75 of the top 100 U.S. advertisers on X from October 2022 have ceased their ad spending on the platform.
Grok as a Retention Strategy
Providing access to an AI chatbot like Grok could potentially help X retain users who might otherwise migrate to alternative platforms. These include decentralized platforms such as Mastodon and Bluesky, or even Instagram’s Threads, which quickly gained popularity thanks to Meta’s extensive reach, surpassing 130 million monthly users by the end of 2023.
X Premium Subscription Details and Grok’s Unique Features
X Premium, the company’s mid-tier subscription, starts at $8 per month (on the web) or $84 per year. Grok was previously exclusive to Premium+ subscribers, which costs $16 per month or $168 per year. Grok’s chatbot is expected to attract Musk’s followers and dedicated X users due to its willingness to engage with topics that are typically off-limits to other AI chatbots, such as conspiracies or controversial political ideas. Musk has described Grok as having “a rebellious streak” and, most notably, the ability to access real-time X data, setting it apart from its competitors.
However, the value of this data under Musk’s leadership may be diminishing if X continues to lose users.
6 Comments
Elon’s really pushing the envelope, isn’t he? AI Chatbot Grok for the elite circle first!
Elon’s creating a digital divide, or is it just smart business? Let the debate begin!
Elon’s at it again, making sure his premium users are first in line for the latest tech toys!
Looks like Musk is handing out golden tickets to the Wonderland of AI, exclusive access style!
Musk’s got the Midas touch, doesn’t he? AI for the elite it is, but will it be gold or just glitter
Elon’s playing favorites, but who can blame him? Grok for the VIPs!