Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, is set to invest $300 million in Telegram to integrate its AI chatbot, Grok, into the messaging platform. This deal, announced on Wednesday, will bring Grok’s AI capabilities to Telegram users worldwide, marking a major step in AI-powered messaging services.
One-year partnership to embed grok across Telegram
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov revealed that the partnership with xAI is agreed “in principle” and will last one year. Under this agreement, Grok will be embedded directly into Telegram’s app ecosystem, allowing users to access the chatbot seamlessly across all Telegram apps. The deal includes a $300 million payment in cash and equity from xAI to Telegram, along with Telegram receiving 50 percent of the revenue generated from xAI subscriptions sold via the platform.
Durov shared on his Telegram channel, “This summer, Telegram users will gain access to the best AI technology on the market.” Grok will be accessible through the search bar and pinned to the top of chat lists, offering features like threaded chats, smart text editing, chat summaries, document digests, and group chat moderation.
Grok’s features to enhance user experience and business use
The integration promises to enhance both personal and business communication on Telegram. Grok will assist users by summarizing lengthy chats and documents, providing writing suggestions, and even creating stickers. Grok will help answer customer queries and support content moderation for businesses, which could be valuable for Telegram’s growing community of entrepreneurs and group managers.
This move positions Telegram alongside other major platforms like Meta, which recently integrated AI assistants into Instagram and WhatsApp search bars. With over 900 million users, Telegram offers xAI a vast audience to deploy Grok, potentially boosting AI adoption globally.
Elon Musk responded cautiously to Durov’s announcement, noting that “no deal has been signed.” Durov clarified that formalities are pending, but the agreement is in principle.
This partnership strengthens Telegram’s financial position and accelerates the integration of AI into everyday communication, setting a new standard for chat apps worldwide.