In August, Elon Musk’s xAI promised to make Grok, the corporate’s flagship generative AI mannequin powering quite a few options on X, accessible by way of an API. Now, that API has arrived — albeit a bit bare-bones in the mean time.
The xAI API solely has a single mannequin, “grok-beta,” priced at $5 per million enter tokens (~750,000 phrases) or $15 per million output tokens. Tokens are subdivided bits of uncooked knowledge, just like the syllables “fan,” “tas,” and “tic” within the phrase “unbelievable.”
It’s unclear which Grok mannequin “grok-beta” is likely to be; Grok 2 is the very newest on X. The documentation for the API refers to Grok 2 and Grok mini, a light-weight and extra reasonably priced model of Grok — so it might nicely be a technical subject.
The xAI API helps operate calling, which connects Grok fashions to exterior instruments akin to databases and engines like google. And, though they don’t seem like reside but, the documentation hints at imaginative and prescient fashions able to analyzing each textual content and pictures.
Musk fashioned xAI final yr. Quickly after, the corporate launched its first Grok mannequin on X to X Premium+ customers, who pay $16 a month.
Grok has turn into more and more ingrained within the X expertise. Due to an integration with the open picture generator Flux, Grok can generate photographs on X (with out guardrails, controversially). It summarizes information and trending occasions (typically with errors, thoughts you), and it might improve X’s search capabilities, account bios, put up analytics, and reply capabilities sooner or later.
Musk mentioned this summer time that xAI is coaching the subsequent era of Grok fashions at its Memphis datacenter, which has been accused of worsening smog with unauthorized generators. The corporate hopes to improve the datacenter subsequent yr, however will want approval from the Tennessee Valley Authority so as to take action.
xAI is racing to catch as much as formidable opponents like OpenAI and Anthropic within the generative AI race. In Could, xAI raised $6 billion in a funding spherical led by buyers together with Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, and Constancy.
Musk typically asserts that X’s knowledge offers xAI a leg up in comparison with rivals. This month, X modified its privateness coverage to permit third events, together with xAI, to coach fashions on X posts.
Grok additionally has what Musk has described as “a rebellious streak” — and a willingness to reply “spicy questions which can be rejected by most different AI techniques.” Advised to be vulgar, for instance, Grok will fortunately oblige, spewing profanities and colourful language you received’t hear from ChatGPT.