xAI's Grok Imagine Launches with Controversial 'Spicy Mode' for NSFW Content

Grok Imagine, xAI's new AI image and video generator, lets you make NSFW content

Elon Musk's AI company has officially rolled out Grok Imagine, xAI's image and video generator, to all SuperGrok and Premium+ X subscribers on its iOS app. And true to form for Musk, who positions Grok as an unfiltered, boundary-pushing AI, the generator allows users to make NSFW content. Grok Imagine, which promises to turn text or image prompts into a 15-second video featuring native audio, has a "spicy mode" that allows users to generate sexually explicit content including partial female nudity . There are limits to how explicit one can get. Many of our spicier prompts - made in the name of Journalism! - generate blurred out images that are "moderated" and therefore inaccessible. We were, however, able to generate semi-nude imagery. The NSFW content is unsurprising for xAI, given the release last month of a raunchy, hyper-sexualized anime AI companion. But just as Grok's unrestrained nature was entertaining until it started spewing hateful, antisemitic, misogynistic content, Grok Imagine could be poised to bring its own set of unintended consequences. CNBC first reported the existence of a "spicy mode" last week after an xAI employee Mati Roy said in a now-deleted post on X: "Grok Imagine videos have a spicy mode that can do nudity." TechCrunch has reached out to xAI for more information. The existing limitations with Grok Imagine are somewhat heartening given the model also lets you create content of celebrities - anyone from Donald Trump to Taylor Swift - and there appears to be additional restrictions on those. For example, TechCrunch tried, and failed, to generate an image of Trump pregnant. Grok Imagine only generated images of Trump holding a baby or next to a pregnant woman. While it's still early days for Grok Imagine, which aims to compete with incumbents like Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Runway, and Chinese rivals, the images and videos generated of humans are still a bit lost in the uncanny valley, with waxy-looking skin that verges on cartoonish at times. Still, the generator is impressive. It produces images in seconds from a text prompt, and continues to auto-generate new images as you scroll. Those images can then be animated into stylized videos. The user-interface is also seamless and intuitive. Musk said on X that the model would "get better every day."

xAI's new Grok image and video generator has a 'spicy' mode

xAI's new Grok Imagine tool is an AI image and video generator that encourages users to make NSFW content. In contrast to rival generative AI video tools like Google's Veo and OpenAI's Sora, which try to block users from generating anything seedy, the Grok chatbot's Imagine feature provides a "Spicy" generation mode that actively directs it to spit out nudity and sexualized content. Grok Imagine includes text-to-image capabilities that allow users to generate pictures based on descriptions, or an image-to-video tool to make short clips, complete with audio effects like Google's Veo 3 model. Unlike Veo, however, Grok Imagine won't generate video from text descriptions directly -- users are instead required to either select an existing image from their gallery, or generate something in Grok first for the tool to animate. The image generation is less restrictive. Users can generate a variety of styles, including photorealism, anime, and illustrations, and it features a voice mode that allows prompts to be spoken rather than typed -- something that children would love interacting with, according to xAI CEO Elon Musk. Video generation is based on the reference image uploaded by the user, and there are four modes to direct how it will be animated: Custom, Normal, Fun, and Spicy. Musk describes Grok Imagine as "AI Vine," a platform that he has long expressed interest in resurrecting. X users have already published their Grok Imagine experiments, with some of the "Spicy" options depicting photorealistic women flashing their breasts and genitals, and bikini-clad anime waifus sexily dancing against SpaceX rockets. More than 34 million images have been generated using the tool since Monday, according to Musk. It's unclear what, if any, content generation restrictions are in place for Grok Imagine, but guardrails have been very easy to bypass on Grok's previous image generation tools. TechCrunch found in its own testing that Grok Imagine's image capabilities have some restrictions around generating celebrity photos. We've not yet been able to test if the tool's Spicy mode will undress images of real women that are uploaded as reference materials. Imagine is available for SuperGrok and Premium Plus X subscribers via Grok's iOS app. The tool has also started to roll out in early access for Grok's Android app, but users are reporting that it's currently limited to making images and lacks the video generation feature.

Grok launches AI image generator with a NSFW 'spicy mode' -- it's exactly what you'd expect

Elon Musk and the team at xAI seemingly want to position Grok as the boundary-pushing AI tool that's not afraid to get a little R-rated when you prompt it. Last month, the company unveiled a risqué anime girl called Ani as an inbuilt "AI companion" that could flirt with users. Now it's going a step further with the launch of Grok Imagine, an AI image and video generator that will let users create not safe for work (NSFW) content. Grok Imagine is available to anyone signed up to either an annual $300 SuperGrok plan or paying for an $84 annual Premium+ subscription on Musk's social media site X. Users can either create images from text prompts or create 15-second videos from images created by Grok. Unlike something like Veo 3 from Google, Grok Imagine won't create video from a text prompt alone. When it comes to image generation, Grok Imagine lets users choose from styles including photorealism, animation or anime. Videos are subdivided into four modes: Custom, Normal, Fun and Spicy. The last one, as you can imagine, has the biggest potential for controversy and misuse. According to reports from those that have tried it, when you toggle on "spicy mode", Grok Imagine will start coming up with sexualized content and partial nudity. Any fiercely explicit content is blurred out and "moderated", as per this report from TechCrunch. But, considering we're talking about the same AI tool happy to spew antisemitic and misogynistic trash in July, it's not much of a stretch to think this may get out of hand. Elon Musk seemingly set the tone for Grok Imagine's video generation capabilities with his own demonstration of the tech. Which should tell you all you need to know about how people will use this. Grok has grown in scope and scale over the last year, competing with the likes of Claude and DeepSeek when it comes to best ChatGPT alternatives. The team at xAI recently revealed Grok 4 with a greater focus on deeper thinking and better reasoning. Expanding to include image generation means Grok can also take aim at the likes of Runway, Midjourney and Leonardo.

xAI launches Grok Imagine for AI video and images: How to try it

Over the weekend, xAI released an updated version of the Grok iOS app with a new tool called Grok Imagine, which lets users quickly create AI images and videos. On X, excited Grok users are eagerly sharing their creations, and xAI founder Elon Musk is retweeting user posts. Grok Imagine is available now to Heavy and Premium+ subscribers on the Grok iOS app, and to Heavy users on the Android app. Grok Imagine features generative AI with text-to-image capabilities as well as the ability to turn images into short video clips with sound. In this way, it's similar to the new Midjourney AI video tool. Rival AI companies have AI tools that allow users to generate original videos based solely on text prompts, such as Veo 3 from Google and Sora from ChatGPT-maker OpenAI. Musk praised Grok Imagine on X, calling it a "meme motherlode." He also teased the NSFW capabilities of the model and said Grok Imagine "should get better almost every day." This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Earlier this month, xAI released Grok 4, the company's latest and most intelligent model to date. In our previous testing, Grok lagged behind other popular AI image generators, particularly when it comes to preventing deepfakes. While Grok Imagine initially launched solely within the Grok iOS app, the DogeDesigner X account, which Musk often retweets, reported that it's now available on Android as of Monday for SuperGrok Heavy users. Mashable tested Grok Imagine using the iOS app, and found it easy to start creating images and videos there. After opening the Grok app, users should see two tabs at the top of the screen: "Ask" and "Imagine." Tap on either the "Imagine" tab or the "Create Image" button and you will enter Grok Imagine. Mashable is still in the process of testing Grok Imagine for ourselves, but the initial results seem to be... fine. As with other Grok tools, Grok Imagine seems to be lacking in safeguards that are commonplace in the AI industry. We've reached out to xAI for comment. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

xAI teases Grok video generator

Elon Musk and xAI announced Monday that Grok users will soon be able to generate artificial intelligence videos complete with sound on its app. The new feature is called Imagine, and it allows users to create both images and videos based on text prompts and turn static images into video. Currently, access appears to be limited to some employees and selected influencers, and the @Grok X account wrote Monday evening: "Video generation is coming to Grok via our Imagine feature, powered by Aurora. Create instant videos with sound from text prompts. Download the standalone Grok app, subscribe to SuperGrok, and join the waitlist for early access in October." SuperGrok is a paid tier that costs $30 per month. On Thursday, Musk teased "bringing back Vine, but in AI form," referring to the popular social media platform that Twitter shut down in 2017. An xAI employee said in a reply that Grok Imagine videos can be up to 6 seconds, the length Vine videos were famously known for. Based on videos shared online by several xAI employees and users with early access to Imagine, the new feature works by having users type in descriptions of what they would like to have in their videos, and the app generates several videos that correspond to the descriptions that users can choose from. xAI employees and Grok enthusiasts shared videos online showcasing the new feature. An xAI employee posted an AI-generated video of a cat purring while walking through space, and another posted an astronaut walking through an alien landscape. An xAI employee said on X that the new feature promises some lewd possibilities. Mati Roy wrote in a post sharing a video of a nearly nude woman, "Grok Imagine videos have a spicy mode that can do nudity." He said in a reply to another post that the new video generation feature would be able to create realistic videos of humans. A few users in the comments expressed concern that the new features could allow users to create explicit deepfakes. An xAI spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Trump administration has been pushing to crack down on the creation of explicit deepfakes; President Donald Trump signed the Take It Down Act into law in May. The act, originally written by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, makes it illegal to publish nonconsensual sexually explicit images and videos, whether real or computer-generated. New AI features on Grok had already drawn concern from some advocates because of the app's vulgar and sexually explicit "companions" -- AI characters users can talk to through text and speech. Musk had also announced that a new companion he had been teasing named "Valentine" was now available on Grok. Grok stoked controversy this month when it published a slew of antisemitic posts. The official @Grok account later said in a statement on X that it was "actively working to remove the inappropriate posts." Many of the posts, including ones in which the chatbot would refer to itself as "MechaHitler," were taken down. Many AI platforms have already made AI video features available, including OpenAI, which released Sora in February, and Google, which released Veo 3 this month. Musk responded to a user who compared the quality of Grok's video generation to Gemini's, saying, "Grok Imagine is still early beta and is optimized for maximum fun, so should be evaluated as 'fastest time to make a fun, shareable video', rather than visual/auditory perfection. Our heavy duty video model will train on the 110k GB200s coming online next month." xAI is adding 110,000 graphics processing units, specialized circuits designed to help generate computer graphics, to its supercomputer Collosus in Memphis, according to Musk.

Grok video generator is coming, with a "spicy mode"

xAI, spearheaded by Elon Musk, recently announced Grok users will soon gain the ability to generate AI-driven videos, incorporating sound, directly within the application. This upcoming functionality, branded as Imagine, empowers users to produce both static images and dynamic videos from textual prompts, as well as transform existing images into video content. Currently, access to Imagine appears to be restricted to a select group of xAI employees and chosen influencers. The official @Grok X account posted a statement confirming the phased rollout: "Video generation is coming to Grok via our Imagine feature, powered by Aurora. Create instant videos with sound from text prompts. Download the standalone Grok app, subscribe to SuperGrok, and join the waitlist for early access in October." This indicates a tiered access system, with wider availability anticipated in the near future. Access to the Imagine feature is tied to a premium subscription tier. SuperGrok, the paid tier required for early access, carries a monthly fee of $30. This subscription model suggests xAI's intention to monetize the advanced AI video generation capabilities. Prior to the formal announcement, Elon Musk alluded to the impending feature, teasing the "bringing back Vine, but in AI form." This statement references the once-popular social media platform, Vine, known for its short-form video content, which was discontinued by Twitter in 2017. The reference suggests a potential focus on brevity and shareability for Grok's AI-generated videos. An xAI employee further clarified the connection to Vine by stating that Grok Imagine videos are capped at six seconds in length, mirroring the video duration that defined Vine. This limitation points toward a design philosophy centered on creating concise, easily digestible video content. Based on shared material from xAI employees and users who have been granted early access, the Imagine feature operates through a text-prompt interface. Users input descriptions of their desired video content, and the app then generates multiple video options reflecting those descriptions. The user can then select their preferred video from the generated results. Illustrative examples of the feature's capabilities have been disseminated online. One xAI employee showcased an AI-generated video depicting a cat purring while traversing space. Another demonstrated an astronaut navigating an alien landscape. These examples serve to highlight the potential creative applications of the Imagine feature. Beyond the conventional applications, an xAI employee indicated the existence of more provocative possibilities within the Imagine feature. Mati Roy stated on X that "Grok Imagine videos have a spicy mode that can do nudity." Roy further elaborated that the technology is capable of producing realistic depictions of human forms, potentially leading to the creation of explicit content. Prior to the unveiling of the Imagine feature, Grok had already faced scrutiny regarding its AI "companions." These AI characters, designed for user interaction through text and speech, have been criticized for exhibiting vulgar and sexually explicit behavior. The addition of the new companion named "Valentine," further intensified these concerns. xAI is investing heavily in computational infrastructure to support its AI development efforts. The company is adding 110,000 graphics processing units (GPUs) to its supercomputer, Collosus, located in Memphis, Tennessee. These specialized circuits are designed to accelerate the generation of computer graphics, facilitating the development of more sophisticated AI models.

Grok to launch text-to-video generation with Imagine feature powered by Aurora

Grok announces Imagine feature for text-to-video generation, launching October Grok has confirmed the upcoming release of its Imagine feature, which will introduce video generation capabilities to the platform. The tool, powered by Aurora, allows users to create instant videos with sound from text prompts. The company announced that early access to the feature will be available starting in October. The Imagine feature will be integrated into the standalone Grok app, which is now available for download. To access the feature, users must subscribe to the SuperGrok tier and join the waitlist. Once released, the tool is expected to offer rapid text-to-video conversion, enabling content creators to produce short videos for entertainment, education, marketing, and social media use. "Excited to confirm: Video generation is coming to Grok via our Imagine feature, powered by Aurora," the company stated. "Create instant videos with sound from text prompts. Download the standalone Grok app, subscribe to SuperGrok, and join the waitlist for early access in October. Let's make some viral content!" The launch is positioned as a move to bring text-to-video AI tools to a wider consumer audience. With sound-enabled generation capabilities, Grok aims to compete in the expanding generative media space, where platforms are offering multimodal outputs. In addition to generating videos from simple prompts, Grok users may be able to customize video styles and formats once the feature is fully launched. No further details have been provided regarding specific resolution support, video duration limits, or available sound libraries. The company has not announced a final release date beyond early access in October. More updates are expected as the platform scales the rollout of the Imagine video generation feature.

Elon Musk launches Grok Imagine: AI video generator now available on waitlist. Here's how to join it

Elon Musk's AI firm xAI has launched Grok Imagine, a new feature that allows users to create AI-generated videos and images from text prompts directly within the X app. The tool includes capabilities like real-time editing, audio support, and a controversial "spicy mode" that permits nudity. Videos can be up to six minutes long. Users can join the waitlist by updating their X app and subscribing to the premium SuperGrok plan. Elon Musk's AI company xAI has officially introduced Grok Imagine, a text-to-video generator integrated within the X (formerly Twitter) platform. The feature, which had previously been in limited testing with select employees and influencers, is now entering a broader rollout phase. According to Musk, users can now update their X app and request access to the waitlist for Grok Imagine. Grok Imagine enables users to generate videos and images directly from text prompts. These videos can include audio and range up to six minutes in length -- mirroring the time limit that existed on Vine, Twitter's short-form video app that was discontinued in 2017. In a nod to that legacy, Musk has said the tool essentially brings Vine back, but with an AI twist. In addition to turning text into videos, Grok Imagine also allows users to convert still images into moving visuals with sound. Real-time refinement is a core part of the feature, meaning users can tweak their outputs on the go without relying on separate tools. Access to Grok Imagine requires a few simple steps. First, users need to update their X app. From there, they can navigate to: Settings > Grok > Imagine > Request Access This places them on the official waitlist. While all X users can apply, early access is being granted to those subscribed to the platform's premium tier, SuperGrok, which costs $30 per month. Users who frequently engage with Grok are reportedly being prioritised for the beta. The tool is also available through the standalone Grok app, and according to a post by the official Grok handle, full public access is expected to begin in phases from October 2025. One of Grok Imagine's experimental options, dubbed "spicy mode," has already generated controversy. xAI employee Mati Roy told Dataconomy that this mode allows nudity in the generated content. Some users have raised concerns about its potential misuse, especially given the rise in AI-generated explicit material. Moreover, Grok's AI companions -- Ani and Valentine -- have also faced backlash. Reports have indicated instances of sexually explicit interactions, drawing criticism toward xAI's content moderation practices. Additionally, xAI is reportedly working on Baby Grok, a version of the AI tailored for children, likely aimed at providing a safer, filtered experience in contrast to the adult-oriented modes currently available.

Grok Imagine goes live on Elon Musk's X platform - The Economic Times

The feature, which was previously being tested with a limited group of users, is now more widely accessible. According to Musk, users can update their X app and request access to the waitlist by navigating to the "Grok" section in settings and selecting "Imagine."Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI has officially rolled out Grok Imagine, a text-to-video generation tool integrated within the X platform (formerly Twitter). The feature, which was previously being tested with a limited group of users, is now more widely accessible. According to Musk, users can update their X app and request access to the waitlist by navigating to the "Grok" section in settings and selecting "Imagine." "Grok Imagine is still in early beta, so will improve almost every day," Musk wrote in a post on X, adding that real-time improvements are expected as the model scales. Grok Imagine allows users to generate videos and still images from text prompts, with videos of up to six minutes in duration. In addition, it can animate static images into moving visuals with synchronized sound, offering creators a more seamless workflow without needing external tools or software. Early users have compared the feature to Twitter's Vine, the once-popular short-form video app that was discontinued in 2017. However, Grok Imagine appears to be aimed at much broader use cases -- including entertainment, education, and meme culture -- leveraging generative AI for creative expression. The feature is available both via the standalone Grok app and within the main X platform. According to a post by the official Grok handle, full public rollout is expected in phases beginning October 2025. The launch follows xAI's recent disclosure that it is also working on a kid-friendly version of its Grok chatbot, suggesting the company is eyeing wider demographic adoption as it refines its AI capabilities. Meanwhile, xAI is in the process of preparing a fresh funding round, which could value the company between $170 billion and $200 billion, according to a July 12 Reuters report. The company expects to generate over $13 billion in annual earnings by 2029, as per financial projections shared by Morgan Stanley and reported by Bloomberg in June. With Grok Imagine now live, Musk appears to be positioning X as not just a social media platform but an AI-powered content engine, blending user-generated media with proprietary infrastructure and models built by xAI.

Elon Musk's Grok will soon let you generate videos from text: Availability and other details

Grok already offers image generation, voice chat, and customizable AI companions, aiming to become an all-in-one AI studio. After Gemini and ChatGPT, X-owned Grok is also getting a text-to-video generation feature soon. The AI platform has announced that it will roll out its new text-to-video generation feature in October 2025. Elon Musk shared the update on X (formerly Twitter), saying the feature will be available across all Grok platforms, including the standalone app. "You'll soon be able to generate videos on Grok. Download the standalone @Grokapp and subscribe," Musk wrote on X. Additionally, Grok too has posted, "Video generation is coming to Grok via our Imagine feature, powered by Aurora. Create instant videos with sound from text prompts." The new feature will let users turn text prompts into full videos with audio, using Grok's Imagine tool, which runs on its advanced Aurora engine. According to Grok, early access will start in October for Super Grok subscribers at a $30/month premium plan that offers a range of exclusive tools and updates. Interested users can already join the waitlist through the Grok app, with broader access expected after the initial Super Grok rollout. The upcoming video tool adds to an already packed list of features on the Grok platform, which currently includes conversational AI, image generation, and voice chat. Just a few weeks ago, Grok also launched customizable AI companions, another perk for Super Grok users. Users can currently access as many as three characters - Valentine, a brooding, romantic character inspired by Edward Cullen and Christian Grey; Ani, a dark, anime-styled goth avatar; and Rudy, an adorable red panda with a quirky personality. These AI companions can interact with users and bring a more personalised feel to the platform. Also read: Microsoft Edge gets AI upgrade with launch of Copilot Mode: What it is and how it works Grok is part of the larger X Premium+ subscription, which bundles several advanced AI tools for paying users. With text-to-video generation on the way, Grok will be among the one-stop creative studios powered entirely by AI.

Grok Imagine: Elon Musk's NSFW revival of vine with AI

Grok Imagine lets users generate unfiltered AI content, instantly and freely When I first heard about Grok Imagine, I thought it was just another AI content tool in an already crowded market. I was wrong. What xAI has created here isn't just another app. It's a surreal mashup of Vine's chaotic creativity and cutting-edge generative AI, complete with a mode literally called "Spicy." Built on the same language model that powers Musk's Grok chatbot (you know, the one integrated into X, formerly Twitter), Grok Imagine lets users type in a prompt and get high-quality, AI-generated images or videos in seconds. The interface is fast, the results are wild, and the vibe is unmistakably Musk - bold, open-sourced, and intentionally uncensored. At first glance, it could feel like a nostalgic throwback to the Vine era: short, absurd, hyper-shareable clips, but now infused with whatever your imagination can conjure. Whether it's an anime squirrel fighting zombies or a dreamy cityscape on Mars, Grok Imagine encourages users to push boundaries. And yes, if you choose to, you can push all the boundaries. Here's where things get interesting: there's a built-in "Spicy Mode." Toggle it on, and Grok Imagine removes the content filters that most mainstream AI platforms enforce. It's not just about NSFW content, though that's certainly a major part of it, but also about giving users more freedom to explore the strange, surreal, or satirical. In a world where AI tools tend to err on the side of caution, Grok Imagine stands out by not doing that. It gives you the keys and trusts you to drive, even if that means taking a few weird turns. Also read: Elon Musk to launch Baby Grok, a kid-friendly AI from xAI: Here's what it may offer But with great freedom comes, well... moderation challenges. That's the tightrope Grok Imagine is walking right now. While the "Spicy Mode" is clearly labeled and opt-in, questions about how the platform will handle ethical grey zones like misinformation, consent, and deepfakes will start appearing sooner than we expect. It's a powerful tool, and Musk's open-access approach is bound to raise both creative and regulatory eyebrows. Still, you can't ignore the buzz Grok Imagine is generating. Creators can upload all kinds of AI-powered memes, short-form animations, and parody videos faster than you can scroll. It's chaotic, hilarious, sometimes brilliant, and feels like an unpolished internet playground, exactly what many users have been craving. More importantly, Grok Imagine doesn't pretend to be polished. That's kind of the point. Unlike other AI tools that guide users into specific "safe" outputs, Grok Imagine says: you imagine it, we'll generate it. Whether that leads to a renaissance of internet creativity or a moderation nightmare is still TBD. Grok Imagine isn't just a tool, it's a test. A test of how far AI creativity can go when you remove the guardrails. With "Spicy Mode" front and center, xAI is clearly leaning into the idea that users should be trusted with the tech - for better or worse. It's not for everyone. But if you're someone who remembers the early, untamed days of Vine and wants to see what happens when AI meets that energy head-on, Grok Imagine might be your new favorite rabbit hole. Just don't forget, click on "Spicy Mode" at your own risk.