After months of speculation regarding Elon Musk’s new artificial intelligence (AI) venture, the curtain has finally been lifted. Named xAI, this project follows Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, now rebranded as X. The first model from this venture, named Grok, has been unveiled and is now accessible to a select group of users as of November 4. This release comes on the heels of Musk’s address at the AI Safety Summit held in the UK earlier this week.
Grok is poised to be a game-changer in the world of AI chatbots, drawing comparisons with existing models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. However, Musk’s Grok purportedly surpasses its contemporaries in certain key aspects. Unlike others, Grok has the capability to fetch real-time information from the internet, a feature augmented by its integration with X, providing a significant edge. This real-time access to X’s information repository is touted by Musk as a “massive advantage” over other AI models, potentially setting a new standard in the AI chatbot arena.
A touch of humor: Making Grok stand out
In a bid to differentiate Grok from its counterparts, Musk has infused a dash of humor in its responses. This nuanced approach is aimed at making interactions with Grok more engaging and less robotic, setting it apart from similar AI offerings from tech behemoths like Google, Microsoft, and Meta. This touch of humor, according to Musk, could be the distinguishing factor that propels Grok to the forefront of AI chatbot technology.
Early access and future availability
As of now, Grok has been rolled out to a select group of users, marking its early beta phase. However, the horizon looks promising as Musk has confirmed that once this phase concludes, Grok will be opened up to all X Premium+ subscribers. This phased rollout reflects a meticulous approach to ensure a seamless user experience once Grok becomes widely available.
In a related development, X has embarked on an initiative to monetize old and unused Twitter handles. Under this initiative, an internal team dubbed the ‘@Handle Team’ has been set up to facilitate the sale of these dormant handles. The starting price for initiating the purchase process is a hefty $50,000, a fee that goes directly to X. The actual price tag on these handles, however, is determined by the current holder, potentially driving the cost higher depending on the desirability and uniqueness of the handle. This move is seen as a method to free up handles hoarded by bots and trolls, a concern Musk expressed last year.
Ready to dig deep for a desired handle
With a dedicated team working on the handle marketplace, those yearning for a specific handle should be ready to dig deep into their pockets. The desirability and uniqueness of a handle could drive its price way beyond the initial $50,000 fee, making it a pricey affair for potential buyers. This new marketplace not only promises a new revenue stream for X but also a chance for individuals to lay claim to their coveted handles, albeit at a steep price.
With the introduction of Grok and the ‘@Handle Initiative’, Musk continues to steer X into uncharted territories, redefining the landscape of social media and AI technology. Through Grok, Musk envisions a new era of AI chatbots that are not only proficient in real-time information retrieval but also exhibit a human touch in their interactions.
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