Musk’s xAI makes Grok 4 free worldwide for a limited time

Grok 4 is now free for all, although its most powerful version, Grok 4 Heavy, remains exclusive to paying subscribers.

Elon Musk’s xAI has made Grok 4 free to all users globally for a limited time, following the launch of OpenAI’s GPT-5.

Elon Musk’s company xAI has made its latest AI model, Grok 4, available to all users worldwide at no cost for a limited period. The model, launched just a month ago, was initially exclusive to paying subscribers of SuperGrok and X Premium.

Although Grok 4 is now open to everyone, its most potent version, Grok 4 Heavy, remains restricted to SuperGrok Heavy members. The announcement comes days after OpenAI unveiled GPT-5, which is also freely accessible.

Grok 4 features two operating modes. Auto mode decides automatically whether a query requires more detailed reasoning, aiming to deliver faster responses and use fewer resources. Expert mode allows users to manually switch the AI into reasoning mode if they want a more thorough reply.

Alongside the release, xAI has introduced Grok Imagine, a free AI video generation tool for users in the US, with enhanced usage limits for paid members in other regions. The tool has already sparked controversy after reports emerged of its use to create explicit videos of celebrities.

Musk has also revealed plans to integrate advertising into the Grok chatbot interface as an additional revenue source to help offset the high costs of running the AI on powerful GPUs.

The ads will be placed between responses and suggestions on both the web platform and the mobile application, marking another step in xAI’s bid to expand its user base while sustaining the service financially.

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