In a recent announcement, xAI, led by Elon Musk, has extended the availability of its generative AI-based chatbot, Grok AI, to India and 46 additional countries, including Australia, Canada, Pakistan, New Zealand, Singapore, and Sri Lanka. This move comes after X, formerly Twitter, introduced Grok to its Premium+ subscribers in the United States last week.
Subscription-Based Access in India Raises Eyebrows
Contrary to the free access provided in some regions, Indian users keen on engaging with Grok will need to subscribe to X’s Premium+ service, incurring a monthly fee of ₹1,300 or an annual charge of ₹13,600. This decision has stirred conversations about accessibility, with critics arguing that it may not be in the best interest of users, considering the diverse economic landscape of the country.
Grok AI: A Controversial Chatbot with a ‘Rebellious Streak’
Grok, powered by xAI’s proprietary large language model, Grok-0, has been designed to answer questions with wit and is touted to possess a rebellious streak. With 33 billion parameters, Grok-0 claims superiority over ChatGPT, based on the GPT 3.5 language model. However, the decision to monetize its usage in India has sparked debates about inclusivity and user-centricity.
Grok’s Controversial Run and Political Neutrality Concerns
Since its introduction in the U.S., Grok has faced controversy, especially when asked to provide a humorous critique of its creator, Elon Musk. The chatbot’s ‘rebellious streak’ led to it dubbing Musk a ‘delicate flower’ and questioning various aspects of his actions. Moreover, users have expressed concerns about Grok’s political leanings, prompting Musk to commit to making the chatbot more politically neutral. The decision to charge users for access to this AI tool is raising questions about the balance between pro-customer and pro-tech moves by xAI.
