xAI just rolled out a big upgrade to its Grok AI chatbot, and it’s looking pretty impressive. The new version is said to rival Sonnet 3.5 when it comes to following prompts, which is a pretty bold claim!
Here’s the cool part: the upgraded Grok-2 is free for everyone on the X platform. If you’re a premium subscriber, you’ll get higher usage limits and some extra perks. Oh, and did we mention it’s three times faster than the previous version? Plus, it’s more accurate and now supports even more languages. Pretty neat, right?
Grok-2 just got a major boost, now combining information from X posts and external websites, including news outlets, to deliver more detailed and up-to-date answers. A nice touch is that it includes source citations with its responses, so you can see where the information is coming from. However, xAI hasn’t revealed whether it has any payment agreements with publishers to use their content. This raises some questions since competitors like OpenAI and Perplexity have already secured such deals with publishers. It’ll be interesting to see if xAI follows suit or takes a different approach as the competition heats up.
The latest update brings some exciting new features to Grok, including a handy Grok button that adds extra context to ongoing conversations. It even has the ability to explain images within chats—how cool is that? xAI has also rolled out two new models, Grok-2-1212 and Grok-2-Vision-1212, which are now available via their API. On top of that, they’ve announced Aurora, a brand-new image model built from the ground up, set to launch through the API in just a few weeks.
As for what’s next, Elon Musk has teased Grok 3, promising it will be the most powerful AI model “by every metric” when it debuts by the end of 2024.
xAI’s Recent Development
December 7, 2024 – Musk’s xAI offers free chatbot Grok access
- Grok Chatbot now free for all users.
- Users get 10 free prompts every 2 hours.
December 7, 2024 – Dell, Nvidia fuel supercomputer for Musk’s xAI in Memphis
- Dell installs GPUs for Musk’s xAI project.
- Local suppliers support AI computing facility.
December 6, 2024 – Musk’s xAI raises $6B, plans supercomputer for AI tools
- xAI raises s$6B in funding from 97 Intvestors
- Funds to develop supercomputer facility in Memphis
October 22, 2024 – Elon Musk’s xAI launches API
- xAI launches Grok API at $5 million tokens.
- Grok integrated into X platform for image generation.
May 24, 2024 – Elon Musk’s xAI set to close new round at $24B valuation: report.
- xAI aims for $6.5B fundraising by June 2024
- Valuation may exceed $24 billion post-funding
May 9, 2024 – Elon Musk’s xAI on track for $18B valuation with upcoming fundraise: report
- xAI seeks $6B funding, valuation hits $18B
- Grok faces backlash for
Conclusion
xAI is clearly making bold moves to establish itself as a major player in the AI space. With Grok-2’s impressive upgrades, free accessibility, and exciting new features like image explanations and the Grok button, it’s shaping up to be a valuable tool for users and developers alike. The introduction of new models, enhanced API offerings, and the promise of even more powerful technology like Grok 3 in 2024 further highlight xAI’s ambitious roadmap.
Backed by significant investments and cutting-edge infrastructure, xAI is setting the stage for an intense competition in the AI landscape. Whether through expanding capabilities or navigating challenges like publisher agreements, xAI’s journey will be one to watch as it continues to push the boundaries of what AI can do. The future of Grok—and xAI—looks brighter than ever.
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