Elon Musk’s xAI has secured a strategic partnership with Telegram to integrate its Grok chatbot directly into the messaging platform, a deal valued at $300 million in cash and equity.
A Strategic AI Expansion
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov announced on Tuesday that the agreement spans one year and aims to distribute Grok across the chat app’s vast ecosystem. Beyond the initial $300 million payment, the deal includes a lucrative revenue-sharing model: Telegram is set to earn 50% of all xAI subscription revenue generated through its platform.
From Premium Feature to Mainstream Tool
While Grok was previously limited to a select group of Telegram’s premium users earlier this year, this integration signals a broader rollout that may soon provide access to the entire user base. The move positions Telegram to compete directly with Meta, which has already woven Meta AI into the search bars of Instagram and WhatsApp.
Enhanced Functionality for Telegram Users
Demonstrations shared by Durov via video highlight deep UI integration. Users will be able to pin Grok to the top of their chat lists and trigger the AI directly from the search bar. The tool is designed to serve as a versatile assistant, capable of:
- Providing real-time writing suggestions;
- Summarizing lengthy chat histories, external links, and complex documents;
- Generating custom stickers;
- Assisting businesses with automated responses and content moderation.
Note: This story was corrected to clarify that xAI is paying Telegram $300 million for distributing Grok.
