Musk's xAI Launches Grok-3 Chatbot to Compete with OpenAI and DeepSeek.
Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI has officially introduced Grok-3, the latest version of its AI chatbot, aiming to compete with other prominent players like DeepSeek, Microsoft-backed OpenAI, and Alphabet's Google.
The launch of Grok-3 comes at a pivotal moment in the fierce AI race, following DeepSeek's unveiling of its powerful open-source model and Musk's ongoing push to expand xAI's influence across the AI landscape.
Grok-3 is now being rolled out to Premium+ subscribers on X, Musk's social media platform. In addition, xAI is launching a new subscription tier, SuperGrok, for users accessing the chatbot via its mobile app and Grok.com website.
"Grok-3 across the board is in a league of its own," Musk stated during a livestream with three xAI engineers late on Monday. He emphasized that the new model outperforms its predecessor, Grok-2, by a significant margin.
The launch also coincides with Musk's ongoing efforts to position xAI as a leader in the AI space. Last week, a consortium of investors led by Musk offered $97.4 billion to acquire OpenAI's nonprofit assets, a bid that ChatGPT-maker OpenAI rejected.
Musk reiterated xAI’s dedication to open-source AI during the livestream. He mentioned that earlier versions of Grok would be made publicly available once Grok-3 reaches full maturity, which he expects to occur in the coming months.
The new Grok-3 release also introduces a smart search engine, DeepSearch, a reasoning-based tool capable of explaining its thought process when responding to user queries. Demonstrated during the livestream, DeepSearch offers functions designed for research, brainstorming, and data analysis, positioning itself as a powerful resource for professionals and enthusiasts alike.
As competition among AI developers intensifies, xAI is significantly ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models. Last week, Bloomberg reported that the startup is in talks to raise up to $10 billion in funding, which could value the company at around $75 billion. This influx of capital would position xAI to compete more aggressively with industry giants, providing them with the resources to continue advancing their AI technology.
The unveiling of Grok-3 solidifies xAI's commitment to pushing the boundaries of AI chatbot technology while simultaneously aiming to carve out a competitive edge in a rapidly expanding market. With its plans for increased investment, growth, and a focus on open-source initiatives, xAI is setting the stage for a new era in artificial intelligence development.
