Grok is a conversational generative chatbot that uses artificial intelligence.
It was developed by xAI. The project was an initiative by Elon Musk as a direct response to the rise of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The AI assistant was developed by a small team.
The website has the tagline: Conversational AI for understanding the universe.
How to Access Grok
You can apply for access to Grok via your X account (previously known as Twitter). Unfortunately, I’m not a verified user, so I’m unable to test the program with early access.
If you are keen to try Grok, you can get verified by subscribing to X Premium+. Join us at the Grok website.
Announcing Grok
Grok was released in early November 2023. It claims to be “an AI modelled after the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” It promises to answer questions with a bit of wit and has a rebellious streak.
“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” is Elon Musk’s favourite book.
As a platform encouraging freedom of speech, “it will also answer spicy questions that are rejected by most other AI systems.”
Grok Features
The unique selling point is direct access to real-time knowledge via the X platform. One of the project’s aims is: “We believe that it is important to design AI tools that are useful to people of all backgrounds and political views.”
The AI assistant is based on a large language model. There are two modes: regular and fun. There is a sense of encouraging curiosity and play.
Plans for Grok are to ensure that it provides reliable and trustworthy answers to questions regarding science, engineering and maths.
Grok is in early beta with two months of training. You could consider that Grok is barely in kindergarten. The chatbot will improve over the years with feedback from users. While the developers will provide ongoing training and system administration. Typically, a chatbot may take 3 to 5 years to reach maturity.
About xAI
xAI is a new company working on building artificial intelligence to accelerate human scientific discovery. We are guided by our mission to advance our collective understanding of the universe.
We are a team of AI researchers and engineers on a mission to build AI systems that can help humanity understand the world better. We are driven by ambitious goals, fast execution, and a strong sense of urgency. Join us if you want to shape the next generation of AI models and products.
Find out more at the xAI website.
