Grok: An AI chatbot under Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence venture, xAI, launched in India

Elon Musk introduced Grok, an AI bot under his artificial intelligence venture, xAI, as a response to his critique of Big Tech's AI endeavors for their perceived over-censorship and inadequate safety protocols.

The initiative was launched in July, with the recent expansion of Grok services for Premium Plus subscribers of X in India and 46 other nations, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Singapore.

Grok, currently in its beta phase, offers exclusive access to X Premium+ subscribers at a monthly cost of Rs 1,300 or an annual fee of Rs 13,600 in India, aligning with pricing structures in other regions.

Unlike traditional chatbots, Grok stands out by providing clever responses and operates in two modes: fun and regular. Leveraging real-time data from X, it addresses queries overlooked by other prominent AI chatbots.

Elon Musk's strategy involves shifting X's focus from advertising to subscriptions, emphasizing its transformation into a "super app" that provides diverse services like messaging, social networking, and peer-to-peer payments.

This approach follows the broader trend of tech companies, such as Microsoft and Alphabet's Google, investing in AI-powered products, fueled in part by the success of OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI in 2015, distanced himself from its board in 2018, citing a need for xAI in response to concerns over censorship and safety in mainstream AI developments.