- You can try the Grok AI chatbot on X for free
- The free tier is limited to 10 messages per hour and 3 images per day.
- Using Grok more than that still requires an X Premium subscription of at least $7/month
Grok, XAI's AI chatbot, is now free to chat on X (formerly Twitter), at least on a limited basis. Grok has only been available to people who pay for an X Premium subscription until now, but after some testing in recent weeks, the free tier is now rolling out globally.
The free version of Grok uses the Grok-2 AI model, as does the Premium option. It includes a feature to produce images and Grok's signature “Fun Mode”, which is supposed to make Grok's responses more daring, provocative and witty than usual.
However, I would recommend watching your interactions with Grok closely if you don't want to pay for the subscription. Usage restrictions on the free tier may somewhat slow down any rush of people switching from ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini.
You can send up to 10 messages to the chatbot every two hours without paying, and you can only ask the AI to create three images a day. That's enough to prove it, but clearly, X and xAI hope it's enough to entice people to sign up and pay at least $7 a month to interact more with the chatbot.
Assimilate and leave
Even with these problems, X probably sees value in opening up access to Grok to those who are reluctant to pay for it. At the very least, it puts the chatbot in a better position to compete with ChatGPT and its rivals. It also fits in with xAI's other moves, such as the expected launch of a mobile app in the near future.
It's unclear if these moves will be enough, but with 12 days of OpenAI keeping people interested in the technology focused on the ChatGPT creator, xAI may see value in turning heads this month.
And there's the matter of Flux AI image maker powering Grok's feature. The tool takes a somewhat relaxed approach to copyright and trademark rules, leading to lawyers issuing memos asking people to remove AI images they post of Mario and other corporate-owned characters.
