Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence venture, xAI, has initiated a trial of its chatbot, Grok, making it available to specific regions as part of a free-access pilot program. The trial has garnered interest, especially among X Premium and Premium Plus subscribers, who can now experience the AI in limited regions like New Zealand.
The Grok-2 model allows users up to 10 queries every two hours, while a lighter Grok-2 mini version offers 20 queries within the same time frame. Additionally, Grok includes an image analysis feature that permits up to three queries daily, a distinct offering that adds value to the platform’s capabilities. Looking to extend its reach, xAI has plans to recruit bilingual tutors in India fluent in Hindi and English, reportedly offering USD 15 per hour for this role.
This move places xAI in a competitive position within the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Key rivals include OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which is currently valued at a USD 157 billion following a recent USD 6.6 billion funding round. ChatGPT remains among the most widely used AI chatbots, securing a significant foothold in both consumer and enterprise sectors.
Anthropic’s Claude model, backed by major players Google and Amazon, has also achieved noteworthy success, generating over USD 1 million in revenue from mobile app usage alone. Meanwhile, Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot are making strides in the AI market, each backed by extensive resources and tech expertise from their parent companies. Google is currently working on the third iteration of Gemini, while Microsoft’s Copilot is integrated within its cloud services, contributing to Microsoft’s USD 61.9 billion quarterly revenue.
Another rising competitor is Jeff Bezos-backed Perplexity AI, which has been exploring funding options that could more than double its valuation to USD 8 billion. Perplexity’s funding efforts reflect the surging interest in the AI sector, as companies rush to capture market share.
Not to be outdone, xAI is reportedly in discussions for its own funding round that could value the company at around USD 40 billion, suggesting significant investor confidence in Musk's latest venture. The launch of Grok follows a period of heightened visibility for Musk, whose social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, reported a 43 per cent spike in user sign-ups during the recent US election vote count.
