Elon Musk’s xAI partners with Telegram to embed the Grok AI chatbot into the messaging app used by over one billion people globally, in a $300 million agreement.
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| xAI’s $300 million partnership with Telegram introduces the Grok chatbot to the app’s global audience, advancing the AI race and raising new questions about data ethics and privacy. Image: CH |
San Francisco, USA – May 30, 2025:
In a bold move to expand its footprint in the generative AI sector, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence venture, xAI, has signed a major $300 million partnership with global messaging platform Telegram, enabling the rollout of its flagship Grok chatbot to more than one billion users worldwide.
Announced by Telegram founder Pavel Durov, the one-year partnership includes the direct integration of Grok into Telegram’s mobile and desktop applications. xAI’s investment—comprising a mix of cash and stock—marks one of the largest AI deployment efforts in a consumer-facing messaging platform to date.
Under the agreement, Telegram will receive 50% of all subscription revenue generated via Grok services on the platform. This revenue-sharing model is seen as a mutually strategic move that could significantly boost both companies' positions in the fiercely competitive AI ecosystem dominated by OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic.
Durov also addressed growing concerns around data privacy, stating that xAI will only access the information that users voluntarily share with Grok during interactions. “We’re committed to preserving user trust by ensuring no background data scraping or unauthorized access,” he said.
Telegram, which operates out of Dubai, has a particularly large user base in Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America, making it a powerful launchpad for AI-based tools that rely on massive real-time interactions. Analysts believe the Grok rollout could enable xAI to train its models using high-volume, multi-lingual dialogues, offering a diverse dataset far beyond what's available through X (formerly Twitter).
However, the deal leaves questions open about whether xAI might eventually use Telegram data for training purposes, similar to how Meta and X rely on public user content to enhance their AI models. While no such provisions have been confirmed, industry experts see the potential for expansion in that direction.
The Grok chatbot, known for its fast responses and sarcastic tone, was first integrated into the X platform in 2024. Its introduction to Telegram marks a significant evolution in xAI’s strategy—moving from social media into a more utility-focused messaging environment.
In recent months, xAI has pursued multiple high-profile deals, including efforts to build its own AI infrastructure and explore partnerships in financial services, cloud computing, and hardware integration. The Telegram partnership is a cornerstone of this broader plan to position xAI as a global force in AI-powered consumer applications.
Neither xAI nor Telegram responded to follow-up inquiries from Reuters about the long-term roadmap for the collaboration.
For now, Grok’s arrival on Telegram signals another major milestone in the global AI race—and a direct challenge to established tech players who are racing to embed artificial intelligence across the platforms billions use daily.