Standalone iOS app offers real-time web access and image generation.
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, is testing a standalone iOS application for its chatbot, Grok, in select countries, including Australia. Previously accessible only to users of X (formerly Twitter), Grok now offers a range of features through this dedicated app.
The app provides real-time data access from the web and X, enabling users to rewrite text, summarize lengthy paragraphs, engage in Q&A sessions, and generate images from text prompts. According to the app’s description, “Grok is an AI-powered assistant designed to be maximally truthful, useful, and curious. Get answers to any question, generate striking images, and upload pictures to gain a deeper understanding of your world.”
In addition to the iOS app, xAI is preparing to launch a dedicated website, Grok.com, to make the chatbot accessible via the web. Currently, the site displays a “coming soon” message upon login with an xAI account.
Initially, Grok was available exclusively to X’s paying subscribers. In November, xAI began testing a free version of the chatbot, rolling it out to all users earlier this month. The free version has certain usage limitations, such as a cap of 10 queries every two hours for Grok-2 and 20 queries for Grok-2 mini, as well as restrictions on image analysis queries. Eligibility for the free version requires accounts to be older than seven days and associated with a phone number.
The company’s image generator model, Aurora, is noted for its photorealistic rendering capabilities and relatively few restrictions, allowing users to create images using pictures of public figures and copyrighted material. However, it does not produce explicit content.
By expanding Grok’s accessibility through a standalone app and web platform, xAI aims to compete directly with other AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude, which already offer their own apps and free products.
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