X plans freemium version of Grok AI chatbot to boost user access

X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, is reportedly developing a ‘freemium’ version of its Grok AI chatbot, which would be available to non-paying users. Lohan Simpson recently shared an example on the platform showcasing the company’s efforts to offer this limited-access version of Grok to all users. Currently, access to Grok is restricted to premium subscribers, with only 1.3 million people, or about 0.26% of its user base, currently subscribed. 

A freemium version would allow more users to trial Grok and could encourage additional Premium sign-ups. It may also increase engagement on the platform, as more users could generate AI-powered images or even responses for their posts.

X Corp, the parent company of the platform, would likely benefit from the expansion of Grok’s user base, as it could contribute to xAI’s development. Elon Musk, who founded xAI as a rival to the ‘woke’ AI approach of OpenAI after being ousted from the latter, hopes to establish xAI as a competitive generative AI entity. The success of Grok on the platform could boost xAI’s prospects as a significant player in AI, with potential cross-collaboration between the two entities. The funding to support xAI’s ambitions is substantial, the project has already secured $6 billion, which some suggest could be strategically funnelled into the company as part of a potential data-supply agreement.

To power xAI, Musk’s team has invested in a vast AI supercomputer infrastructure known as ‘Colossus.’ However, both the platform and xAI will need to demonstrate tangible value to investors. Expanding Grok’s usage is therefore a critical step, and maximising Grok's use as an important step aligns with Musk’s vision for the future of the platform and xAI.

We take you inside the @xai Colossus AI Supercluster with over 100,000 @NVIDIA H100 GPUs. If you want to see why the @Supermicro_SMCI liquid-cooled cluster is awesome, then check this one out. Thank you to @elonmusk and his awesome teams for making this possible #Sponsored pic.twitter.com/OkVgWi7ALk

— STH (@ServeTheHome) October 28, 2024

Despite this strategic direction, Musk’s role in the Trump administration could introduce conflicts of interest, especially if he has oversight of government AI, foreign investment, or data security reviews. 

Broader access to Grok, however, remains a straightforward next move for X, allowing the platform to experiment with AI usage at scale.