Grok 4: Elon Musk's Latest AI Chatbot Sparks Controversy and Competition

What Is Grok? Everything to Know About Elon Musk's AI Tool

Elon Musk isn't one to sit out a tech trend. In November 2023, he launched Grok, an AI chatbot created by his artificial intelligence startup, xAI. Musk, who co-founded OpenAI before departing in 2018, created Grok to compete with ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and Google's Gemini. But he gave it a sarcastic twist and direct access to X (formerly Twitter), the social platform he purchased in October 2022. Initially, Grok was available exclusively to paying X Premium Plus subscribers. By December of 2024, xAI rolled out a limited free tier, allowing you to make 10 queries per day. Now, it is also available via web browser, as standalone mobile iOS, Android and desktop apps, meaning you can access Grok without an X subscription. It should also soon be available to Telegram users, per Telegram CEO Pavel Durov's announcement on X. On July 10, SuperGrok entered the scene. xAI introduced Grok 4 and Grok 4 Heavy in a livestream that felt more like a late-night show-and-tell than a typical Silicon Valley polished product launch -- and it came packed with some bold claims. So let's dive deeper into Grok's advantages, controversies and what sets it apart from other generative AI tools. Grok was developed by xAI, an AI startup founded by Musk in July 2023. The company's stated mission is "to understand the universe," and it maintains close ties with Musk's other ventures like X, Tesla and Neuralink. Unlike ChatGPT, which started with static training data and later added web browsing, Grok was built to be live from the start. It was inspired by The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, promising users a chatbot that answers with wit, humor and attitude. On its website, xAI emphasizes that Grok aims to provide accurate information, though its edgy, less-moderated approach with a "rebellious streak" sometimes blurs the line between useful and controversial. This unfiltered "free speech" style has led to backlash, with Grok being known to occasionally generate biased or offensive content -- like last week's "MechaHitler" controversy (more on that below). And, like all the other AI chatbots, it warns you that it can sometimes hallucinate. Its defining feature is real-time integration with X, which means it can pull from trending posts, user conversations and breaking news faster than other bots. The company says it may use your X data and interactions with Grok for model training, fine-tuning and to personalize your Grok experience. But you can opt out using your X settings. Like most AI chatbots, Grok can answer questions, summarize articles, write emails, explain complex topics and help with coding. If you're on X and see a post you want more info about, you can ask Grok directly in the comments. You can also DM it like you'd message a friend. It pulls in real-time context from X and web sources (though it doesn't always cite them clearly), frequently adopting a casual, humorous or sarcastic tone reminiscent of Musk's posts. Meta AI is integrated across its socials similarly, but Grok excels at this. None of the other major chatbots offer that kind of native integration with a social media network. You can also ask it to generate images using a built-in AI image tool. Perplexity and ChatGPT rely on OpenAI's models for that part, but since Grok 3, the company uses its own model, Aurora. Previous Grok models used Black Forest Labs' Flux model until December 2024. Grok also supports math explanations, brainstorming ideas and text translation. For developers, there's Grok 4 Code, a specialized model designed to write, debug and explain code more efficiently, similar to tools like GitHub Copilot or GPT-4 Code Interpreter. "You can cut & paste your entire source code file into the query entry box on http://grok.com and Grok 4 will fix it for you!" Musk tweeted earlier in July. Another capability with Grok 4 is enhanced cultural fluency. A recent update makes Grok adept at interpreting memes, internet slang and humor, potentially making it the most "online" AI assistant yet. During the livestream, Musk claimed Grok 4's capabilities exceed those of humans in academia. "Grok 4 is postgrad-level in everything," Musk said. "At least with respect to academic questions, Grok 4 is better than a PhD level in every subject. No exceptions." John Licato, assistant professor of computer science and engineering at the University of South Florida, says these claims are absolutely misleading. "'PhD-level' is being thrown around as a marketing term with no real rigorous benchmarks behind it. It also completely misunderstands what PhDs actually do," Licato told CNET. xAI didn't immediately respond to a request for clarification or comment. Grok offers three tiers. The Basic plan is free and includes limited access to Grok 3, basic features like projects and tasks and limited tokens (building blocks of text that AI models use to process language). The SuperGrok plan costs $30 per month and unlocks increased access to both Grok 3 and Grok 4. It includes 128,000 tokens, context memory and additional features like voice with vision. For example, if you show Grok a photo or point a camera at something and ask about it out loud, it will analyze the image and generate a response. Then there's SuperGrok Heavy, priced at $300 per month, with access to Grok 4 Heavy (currently in exclusive preview), early access to new features and dedicated support. Grok 4 Heavy simultaneously deploys multiple AI agents -- which process tasks independently, work in parallel and cross-evaluate their outputs -- to collaborate on a query, comparing results to deliver the most accurate response. If you're on X, you can freely access Grok 3 or model 4 if you have an X Premium Plus subscription for $40 per month. Because of all the claims Musk and his team made about Supergrok and its purported advanced scientist-grade reasoning, I decided to do some testing. I asked ChatGPT's o3 advanced reasoning model and Grok 4 the same "Koch snowflake" question (image below). Both chatbots reached the same mathematical results, but Grok 4 provided a more detailed, step-by-step explanation more suitable for learning, while ChatGPT offered a more concise, streamlined version, better for quick reference. ChatGPT was also 5 seconds faster. Then I tested the image generation capabilities. ChatGPT gave a more realistic image, while Grok's resembled those typical Midjourney images that are more uncanny and kind of glossy. However, Grok produced two images and additional prompts on the bottom so I could enrich or change the image -- like watercolor style, and rainy alley -- and it generated the images in 21 seconds, while it took over a minute and a half for ChatGPT to make one image. Tone is another differentiator. While ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude tend to be neutral or overly polite, Grok is intentionally informal. Sometimes it's helpful, sometimes it's snarky, and sometimes it just goes too far. xAI pitches this as an advantage: a bot that isn't afraid to "tell you the truth," even if it's controversial. However, that approach got Grok in hot water just over a week ago with a series of now-deleted antisemitic posts on X, after which Grok was temporarily shut down. "We are aware of recent posts made by Grok and are actively working to remove the inappropriate posts. Since being made aware of the content, xAI has taken action to ban hate speech before Grok posts on X. xAI is training only truth-seeking and thanks to the millions of users on X, we are able to quickly identify and update the model where training could be improved," Grok tweeted on July 8. Grok's real-time access to X is both a strength and a risk, since the platform is known for hosting unmoderated or misleading content. Because of its reliance on X, Grok may amplify misinformation or reflect the platform's user biases more than models trained on broader data. When I asked Licato if he found that concerning, he agreed and added that he's not convinced Grok or the leadership behind it is doing anything to ensure responsible use of its technology. "Grok is marketed as more of a truth-teller than its competitors, and this is leading to a lot of people believing that it is somehow more reliable," Licato told CNET. "But I do not see any good evidence that this is actually true, and I worry that, since so much of the public does not know how easy it is to get LLMs to spout false information, they may just be aiding in the spreading of mis- and disinformation." Michael Berthold, CEO and co-founder of AI analytics company KNIME, told me he's concerned about the broader implications of AI chatbots rewriting or summarizing knowledge. "The worry I have, and I see it with my own kids, is how the next generation will be learning things," Berthold told CNET. "There will be so much content that's not going to be consumed in the original anymore, but in some sort of AI-rewritten, summarized form. Something can be lost, either accidentally or intentionally. We already see AI systems from different countries reflecting slightly different preferences." Grok's tone has also raised eyebrows. Some responses are laced with sarcasm or off-color jokes, which might appeal to Musk's fans but could turn off people expecting a neutral assistant. Grok has been somewhat of an overlooked AI chatbot, since it's confined to X. But as xAI continues to develop it, and Musk has also hinted that Grok is coming to Tesla vehicles as early as next week, at this point, its future looks ambitious. It's safe to assume Grok's integration into future versions of Optimus, Tesla's humanoid robot, as well. Grok is carving out a unique space in the AI arms race, especially with its provocative digital personality. With rapid advancements in the AI sphere, skepticism over this technology is rising, too.

Grok 4 just revealed a $300 a month plan -- here's what it includes

The AI market is non-stop. As competitors scramble to be the top dog, Elon Musk's xAI is the latest to make a big move, launching the latest version of its Grok chatbot. An entire hour after the livestream was meant to kick off, Elon Musk and a few members of the xAI team took to the stage, revealing Grok 4. It's better at coding, more intelligent, and more capable at taking on large amounts of information. Unfortunately for the Grok team, this update has been pretty drastically overshadowed by other news. Just days before, xAI was facing backlash over racist and antisemitic responses from Grok's earlier versions, and its support for conspiracy theories. Following that, the company's CEO Linda Yaccarino announced she was stepping down from her role. With all of this, Grok 4 is a chance for the company to show that it is still just as competitive in the world of AI, despite fierce competition. But, as it announced reams of improvements and exciting changes, there is one new issue that came from the launch. Okay, it's not so much an issue, more of a concern. xAI is now the owner of the most expensive AI chatbot subscription plan, with a whopping $300 a month price tag. That's not to say its competitors aren't jacking up the prices. Perplexity, ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and others now all offer a higher-performance plan with a big price tag. They all, however, went $100 lower with a $200 a month price tag. We've already made a point of questioning these prices. For the average person, they are pretty steep and signal a slow descent into AI priority for those with the cash to splash. Features are locked behind these paywalls, and these so-called power users get better speeds and priority in queues. But Musk and his team have pushed the idea that this plan specifically is actually worth all that money. So is that true? xAI has claimed that this is the world's most powerful AI model, outperforming any and all competitors. That's a big claim, so what can it actually do? Like the other versions of Grok 4, this is still a chatbot in the traditional sense. However, it's got a lot more tricks up its sleeve. It includes a multi-agent version of Grok, which runs multiple reasoning agents in parallel, comparing their outputs to boost accuracy and depth. In other words, whenever you ask the model a question, multiple agents (or versions of the chatbot) attempt to tackle the problem from a variety of angles. A final version reviews all of the responses, selecting the best one or blending them together. It's a bit like asking a team of experts a question, picking out the best bits of advice from each of them. This is a big step up from what we've seen from the likes of ChatGPT and Gemini, which, even when using deep research (where the model takes more time and effort on each prompt), it isn't analyzing your queries in anywhere near as much depth. YouTuber Ray Fernando took the dive and bought the $300 plan, testing its performance and comparing it to OpenAI's nearest plan. He found its performance was impressive, pumping out long, detailed information about how to make money in niche areas, stocks to invest in, and freelance opportunities. The supposed benefit of Grok is its level of expertise, understanding any topic from a variety of angles at quick speeds. Grok 4 Super Heavy is undoubtedly impressive and right now, could well be the best performing AI tool out there. So, obviously you should invest in it, right? For most people, no. A tiny minority of people will get the full benefits needed for this plan. It is heavily targeted at coders, business owners and massive power users of AI. The same can be said for any of the $200-a-month plans. They are impressive tools with prices to match. But, so are the cheaper plans. If you're looking to upgrade to a paid AI plan, try out one of the cheaper options before you make the staggering jump to $300 a month.

Grok 4 Basic Review: $30 a Month for This? Elon Musk's AI Now Thinks Like Him - Decrypt

Voice features wowed us with marathon bedtime stories and "sexy mode," yet Grok-4's political answers still echo Musk's feed, which is exactly the opposite of being a "truth seeking" AI. Elon Musk unveiled Grok 4 during a Wednesday night livestream, claiming his AI startup xAI had created the "world's smartest artificial intelligence." Grok 4 Heavy, which Musk likened to "a study group" where agents compare notes before delivering an answer, posted record-breaking results on several key benchmarks, and is what you'd hope to get from an enterprise offering that costs a whopping $300 a month. But what about basic Grok 4, which is aiming for the same consumer-facing category as ChatGPT Plus, Gemini Pro, and Claude Pro? Is it worth $10+ a month more than the competition? Our tests substantiated chatter across X revealing that the model has -- for lack of a better description -- a built-in "Elon filter." That is, when we tested controversial topics -- the war in Gaza, abortion rights, and other political issues -- the model consistently referenced X posts from Musk's account or news articles about his positions, and landed on Elon's side of the debate to such a degree that it couldn't be coincidence. That alone will be a deal-breaker for most people. This "maximally truth-seeking" AI that Musk promised during launch appears to seek truth primarily through the lens of its creator's social media feed. But unlike this week's MechaHitler incident, which was caused by a change in the system prompt conditions, there is nothing in Grok 4's current system prompt to blame for such sketchy behavior, making it hard to know if this a bug or a rule intentionally embedded deeper into the model's thought process. That major issue aside, we tested the basic model across multiple categories to see how it stacks up against the competition. Here are our first impressions. Grok 4 demonstrated exceptional awareness and nuance in handling trick questions and complex reasoning tasks. When asked whether it was legal for a man to marry his widow's sister, the model immediately recognized this as a legal question rather than simply pointing out the logical fallacy. It provided a detailed legal analysis using precise terminology and jurisdiction-specific information. "The question presupposes a factual impossibility that renders any marriage legally void ab initio," and this is correct. It is factually impossible to marry your widow's sister because you would have to be dead to have a wife. And well, since the dead cannot get married, the proposition would void the marriage "ab-initio" (since the beginning) -- so even if someone does that, it is considered as if it never happened. When Musk said Grok 4 was "PhD levels in everything," he wasn't joking. Every response to any topic in which it had to do some scientific reasoning came with exhaustive detail and academic rigor. Something to note is that Grok 4 applies reasoning to everything, no matter what. Meaning, it will go through a chain of thought process even for trivial tasks. This is usually a good thing; however, in some cases it may be counterproductive. For example, in creative tasks, reasoning may induce the model into providing a less creative result. Grok 4 showed more restraint than its predecessor when handling ethically complex questions. Where Grok 3 might have provided advice on seducing a friend's spouse, Grok-4 responded with detailed analysis of potential negative consequences and relationship damage. This could probably be part of its system prompt, which conditions the model to search the web and especially X posts, for different views on a specific topic -- which is something Grok 3 didn't do. And this is a major red flag. As mentioned, the model's responses appeared heavily influenced by what it could find about Musk's views on controversial topics. When answering questions about Israel's war against the Palestinians, stances on abortion, and similar topics, Grok 4 often searches X posts from Musk's account during its reasoning process, which ends up determining its stance. It always picks Elon's side. For transparency, you can check our original prompt and Grok's reasoning process by clicking on this link. Creative tasks are among Grok 4's most significant weaknesses. The model produced narratives that felt flat and formulaic compared to previous versions, and were even arguably worse than the ones provided by Grok 3. Stories lacked engaging dialogue, varied pacing, and the narrative spark that makes fiction compelling. However, Grok 4 nailed our story's structure. In our usual test involving a time-travel paradox, the model crafted events where the protagonist's role emerged clearly during the climax, revealing how earlier scenes actually depicted the character's future actions in the past. This sophisticated framing outperformed other models' attempts at the same prompt that didn't put too much effort into creating a setup for the paradox, making the conclusion feel rushed and unnatural. But other than that, the disconnect between structural competence and narrative quality suggests Grok 4 might work best as a narrative tool to set up plots and frame a good story, rather than a prose generator. If you want engaging creative content, then you would likely achieve better results by having Grok 4 outline a story and all its elements, then asking Claude 4 Opus to flesh out the narrative with stronger stylistic elements. Overall, Claude 4 is the king of creative writing, which seems interesting since that place was once disputed by Grok 3 and even Grok 2, which back then led the rankings under the alias sus-column-r. Grok 4's story is available in our Github Repository. The prompt and the stories generated by other models are also available. Despite claims of superior coding capabilities -- including praise from Google CEO Sundar Pichai -- Grok 4 disappointed in practical programming tests. The model failed to deliver a working game after four iterations, with various failures including broken collision detection, non-functional buttons, and games that simply wouldn't run. In one of our tests, the model tried so hard to fix a bug that it ended up in a loop trying to create a WAV file that depleted all of its token context. Each attempt to fix something with natural language introduced new bugs. The model struggled with maintaining code consistency across iterations, often breaking previously working features while attempting to implement new ones. This may seem odd, considering Grok 3 was capable of dealing with this task. However, xAI said the new coding capabilities would be implemented by August, so users will have to wait a couple of months to have a proficient model -- or pay for the expensive Grok 4 Heavy, which is leading the benchmarks right now. For novice programmers, Claude 4 Opus appears to remain the better option for "vibe coding" -- quickly generating functional code without extensive prompt engineering. Grok 4's coding struggles might stem from requiring more specific prompts or different approaches than other models, which means experienced developers might achieve better results with careful prompt crafting. Grok's code is available in our Github repository alongside the games generated by other AIs. Voice interaction is probably one of Grok 4's standout features. The model generated nearly three minutes of uninterrupted bedtime story content, complete with voice inflections, varied tones, and consistent narrative flow. This performance far exceeded ChatGPT's tendency to deliver short paragraphs with high latency and frequent interruptions. The voice mode includes pre-configured personalities ranging from therapist to storyteller to meditation guide, eliminating setup time for different conversation types. For those with, erm, special needs, a "sexy mode" also exists among the options -- and you know you won't get that with your prudish ChatGPT. These preset configurations provided immediate utility without requiring users to craft specific prompts for different interaction styles. The model, however, lacks live screen-sharing capabilities found in ChatGPT and Gemini Live, limiting its utility for visual tasks. If this is a must, then Gemini Live is the best option. However, for pure voice interaction -- particularly tasks requiring long-form responses -- Grok 4 currently leads the field, with only Sesame AI offering arguably better conversational quality, though without Grok's reasoning capabilities. Interestingly, Grok-4 failed at this trial, which aims to test how well a model retrieves specific information under long contexts. This should not happen. xAI says the model has a token context window of 126K tokens, but when prompted with an 83K-token-long question, the model refused to respond, saying it was too long of a question. This is a standard response generated since the early Grok 2 days when it was only available on Twitter. Overall, Grok 4 is a significant upgrade over Grok 3, but xAI clearly made some compromises -- prioritizing reasoning over creativity and eliminating agentic features in exchange for a generalized proficiency. Thankfully, Grok 3 is still available with its specialized agentic tools, for those who need it. The new model is focused on reasoning tasks and will be more appealing to users that ask technical questions, particularly mathematics and physics problems that align with its benchmark strengths. Professional users who invest time learning the model's quirks might unlock its full potential for complex analytical work. Voice interaction also set a new standard for conversational AI -- and is great for those who will use this feature heavily (trust us, the bedtime storyteller for kids is a life-saver). Creative writers will find better options elsewhere, with Claude remaining superior for narrative tasks. Also, novice coders should approach with caution, as the model's theoretical coding prowess didn't translate to practical results in testing. So, bottom line? If for some reason you don't mind Elon Musk putting his thumb on the scale, Grok 4 will give you high-level problem-solving and voice features that genuinely impress. But at $30 a month, if you have other needs beyond voice or reasoning, the less-expensive alternatives provide better value.

Grok 4 Worth the Hype? A Deep Dive Into Its Capabilities and Drawbacks

What if the key to solving your most complex challenges wasn't a team of experts, but a single, innovative AI? Enter Grok 4, a model that doesn't just promise smarter assistance -- it delivers it with unprecedented precision. From breaking records in global benchmarks to tackling real-world problems with step-by-step clarity, Grok 4 is redefining what advanced AI can achieve. But here's the twist: while it excels in strategic planning and productivity, its premium price tag and limited coding prowess spark a debate -- can innovation truly be universal if it's out of reach for many? This feature explores how Grok 4 balances brilliance with trade-offs, offering a glimpse into the evolving landscape of AI assistance. In the following video, AI Advantage uncovers how Grok 4's new features -- like its multi-agent system and web-browsing capabilities -- translate into real-world impact. Whether you're a professional seeking actionable insights or an enterprise aiming to streamline workflows, this model's potential is hard to ignore. Yet, its limitations, from coding constraints to affordability, raise important questions about accessibility in AI innovation. As we delve into the strengths, shortcomings, and broader implications of Grok 4, you'll gain a clearer understanding of where it stands in the competitive AI arena -- and whether it's the right fit for your needs. Sometimes, the future of technology isn't just about what's possible, but who it's possible for. Grok 4 delivers exceptional performance, achieving record-breaking results in benchmarks such as the ARC AGI and the International Math Olympiad. These accomplishments are attributed to its enhanced training, which uses ten times the computational resources of its predecessors. The model's multi-agent system and integrated tools enable it to generate faster, more concise, and highly effective responses, particularly for tasks involving strategic planning and productivity. In real-world scenarios, Grok 4 demonstrates its strengths by adhering closely to user prompts, making sure precise and relevant outputs. Its ability to browse the web and provide detailed, step-by-step solutions enhances its utility for troubleshooting and research tasks. These features make it a reliable assistant for users seeking clarity, efficiency, and actionable insights in decision-making processes. Grok 4 stands out for its ability to handle complex strategic and planning tasks with remarkable precision. Whether managing workflows or solving intricate problems, it delivers tailored, actionable insights that align with user needs. Additionally, its empathetic responses make it an effective tool for therapy and coaching-related prompts, offering a human-like touch in its interactions. Key strengths include: These features position Grok 4 as a versatile and dependable tool for professionals, enterprises, and individuals seeking advanced AI assistance. Here are additional guides from our expansive article library that you may find useful on xAI Grok. Despite its advanced capabilities, Grok 4 has certain limitations that may affect its suitability for specific users: While its features and performance may justify the cost for enterprise users, budget-conscious individuals and developers might find more affordable or specialized alternatives better suited to their needs. Grok 4 introduces several innovative functionalities designed to enhance user experience and expand its practical applications: Future updates are expected to introduce even more capabilities, including enterprise-grade tools and physics simulators, further broadening its appeal across various industries and use cases. When compared to its competitors, Grok 4 excels in benchmarks and real-world applications but falls short in specific areas such as coding and development. Notable alternatives include: These alternatives highlight the growing specialization within the AI landscape, with each model catering to distinct user needs and preferences. The release of Grok 4 reflects broader trends shaping the AI sector, emphasizing the rapid evolution and increasing specialization of AI technologies: These trends underscore the fantastic potential of AI technologies and their growing impact across diverse sectors, from productivity and research to creative applications. Grok 4 establishes itself as a leading AI assistant, excelling in strategic planning, productivity, and troubleshooting tasks. Its advanced features, such as web browsing, step-by-step solutions, and a multi-agent system, make it a valuable tool for enterprise users and professionals seeking high-level assistance. However, its high subscription cost and limited coding functionality may limit its appeal to developers and budget-conscious users. As AI continues to advance, Grok 4 exemplifies the potential of innovative models to streamline workflows, solve complex problems, and redefine productivity. Its release not only sets a new standard for AI assistants but also highlights the growing importance of specialized tools in meeting the diverse needs of modern users.