Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, announced on Tuesday the launch of the Grok chatbot as a standalone app for iOS. This is a major change for Grok, which was formerly only available on X (now Twitter).

The app is beta testing and available in select regions, including Australia, with plans for a broader rollout soon.

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Unlock creativity with the Grok 2 AI app

The Grok app allows users to leverage advanced features of the Grok 2 AI model, enabling real-time data interaction and generative capabilities such as text rewriting and image creation. 

Users can engage with the chatbot without navigating the social media platform, enhancing accessibility and user experience. 

As reported, “This app is available only on the App Store for iPhone,” indicating a focused strategy to capture the iOS market first. 

The beta version of Grok is free to use and compatible with iOS 17 or later. It weighs in at 40.6MB and promises seamless integration of AI functionalities that could rival established competitors like ChatGPT and Gemini. 

The app’s introduction reflects xAI’s ambition to develop Grok into a standalone product capable of engaging users independently from social media platforms.

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xAI focuses on iOS, Android launch later

While specific details regarding an Android version or global release timeline remain undisclosed, xAI’s decision to prioritise iOS suggests a calculated approach to gather user feedback and refine the app before expanding its reach. 

The company aims to monitor user interactions closely during this testing phase to address potential issues related to accuracy and bias, particularly given that Grok utilises real-time data primarily sourced from X.

As xAI ventures into this competitive market space, it will be interesting to see how Grok evolves. Integrating features like Aurora, an AI-powered image generator, enhances its appeal as a versatile tool for users seeking innovative solutions. 

With Musk at the leadership, xAI is poised to make significant strides in the AI chatbot market, potentially reshaping user interactions with technology.