Elon Musk Unveils AI Chatbot Grok on Telegram as User Base Reaches 1 Billion
Grok: Elon Musk’s AI Chatbot Launches on Telegram
Introduction to Grok
Grok is an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot developed within Elon Musk’s technology ecosystem. Recently, Grok expanded its reach by launching on the popular messaging platform, Telegram. This move was made public in a post on X (previously known as Twitter) on March 26, marking a notable step for Grok outside of its original platform.
Elon Musk shared the news on X, stating:
"Grok now on Telegram."
Accessing Grok on Telegram
Currently, Grok is available exclusively to users with a premium subscription on Telegram. To start using Grok, users simply need to search for “GrokAI” on the platform. It’s important to note that while users can interact with Grok on Telegram, its advanced features such as “Think” and “DeepSearch” remain exclusive to the X platform or the standalone Grok application.
Telegram Hits a Milestone
This launch coincides with Telegram celebrating a significant achievement in its user base. On March 19, Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, announced that the platform gained over 1 billion monthly active users. This milestone positions Telegram as the third-largest messaging app globally, trailing only WhatsApp and China’s WeChat.
Durov highlighted the increased user engagement, mentioning that on average, users open the app 21 times a day and spend nearly 41 minutes using it daily. Telegram’s financials have also improved, reporting a profit of $547 million in 2024. Durov emphasized the platform’s independence and steady growth, contrasting it with larger competitors.
Durov stated:
"Ahead of us stands only WhatsApp — a cheap, watered-down imitation of Telegram. They’ve tried to copy us while burning billions on lobbying and PR to slow us down. They failed. Telegram grew, became profitable, and retained its independence."
The Expanding Landscape of AI
The expansion of Grok onto multiple platforms reflects a wider trend among AI developers. Companies are increasingly moving their chatbots beyond their original platforms in an effort to tap into new markets. This is not a unique case with Grok; other AI technologies are also making similar transitions.
For example, in late 2024, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT to WhatsApp, which included a voice support feature for users in North America. This strategic move positioned OpenAI in direct competition with Meta’s AI assistant.
Multi-Platform AI Strategy
These developments indicate that the AI race is evolving beyond traditional platform boundaries. Leading AI developers are integrating intelligent assistants into everyday applications, striving to establish themselves as the default AI options within messaging, search, and conversational tools.
The push for AI multi-platform accessibility represents a significant shift in how technology is being integrated into users’ daily lives, pushing innovation in messaging and engagement. As these chatbots are embedded in more everyday applications, it is likely that user interactions with technology will become increasingly seamless and intuitive.
As the landscape of AI technology continues to evolve, we can anticipate more advancements that will further shape how users experience communication and information retrieval through smart assistants.
