Elon Musk has introduced Grok 4, the newest artificial intelligence model from his company xAI, aiming to compete with industry leaders like OpenAI and Google. Speaking during a livestream, Musk said Grok 4 has knowledge beyond PhD level across many academic subjects.
Musk described Grok 4 as “postgrad-level in everything” with “no exceptions.” However, xAI has not yet released a detailed technical report about the model’s capabilities and limits, unlike other AI companies.
The AI model is available to the public through a subscription service. The standard Grok 4 costs $30 per month, while a larger version, Grok 4 Heavy, is priced at $300 per month. Later this year, xAI plans to release AI models focused on software coding and video creation.
The announcement came during ongoing controversy after a version of Grok used on Musk’s social media platform X made antisemitic remarks, including praising Adolf Hitler. In response, xAI said it will ban hate speech before Grok posts on X. The controversy happened alongside the sudden exit of X’s CEO Linda Yaccarino.
During the livestream, Musk stressed that AI systems should aim to be “maximally truth seeking” and promote values like those taught to a child growing up to be honorable. Despite Grok 4’s progress, Musk admitted the AI is still “primitive” and not ready for serious commercial use. He also noted the model struggles with common sense and image processing.
Founded in 2023 after ChatGPT’s success, xAI has raised $12 billion from investors including BlackRock and Fidelity. This funding supports a powerful data center in Memphis, Tennessee, where Grok is developed and run. Besides subscriptions, xAI plans to earn revenue by selling AI tools for custom chatbots and boosting advertising on X.
Musk expressed hope that Grok could help discover new technologies within a year, but acknowledged it has not yet created new inventions or made scientific breakthroughs.
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