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What is Grok: Elon Musk’s new AI assistant

August 26, 2025

10 min

What is Grok: Elon Musk’s new AI assistant
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What is Grok: xAI’s AI that aims to redefine the virtual assistant

Grok is an artificial intelligence model developed by xAI, the company founded by Elon Musk in 2023, to build an AI system that stays continuously updated on real-time events. This is possible thanks to its integration with the massive flow of data generated daily on X (formerly Twitter).

Created to compete with major players such as ChatGPT in the U.S. and DeepSeek in China, Grok positions itself as a less formal alternative: irreverent, witty, and often intentionally less politically correct.

The platform already attracts between 6 and 16 million daily visits, solidifying its position as one of the leading names in the conversational AI space.

Curious to know what Grok is and how it stands apart from other AI assistants? Let’s dive in.

What is Grok?

Grok is an AI chatbot powered by a Large Language Model (LLM), part of the rapidly growing field of generative artificial intelligence—a sector brought to global prominence by the success of ChatGPT.

What makes Grok unique is its native integration with X, which allows it to tap directly into the constant stream of user-generated content on the platform. This enables Grok to provide answers not only based on pre-trained knowledge, but also on what is happening right now.

In today’s fast-moving and fragmented information ecosystem, Grok is designed to serve as a personal guide through the endless flow of online content—helping users distinguish between accurate information and misinformation, and between what is truly useful and what is simply noise.

Grok 3: the most advanced evolution of xAI’s model

Released on 17 February 2025, alongside its streamlined version, Grok 3 Mini, Grok 3 marks the most advanced evolution of the AI model developed by xAI.

Powered by the Colossus supercomputer, an infrastructure equipped with around 200,000 GPUs, Grok 3 can process information with a speed and depth ten times greater than the previous generation.

This leap forward is not just about raw computing power. It also reflects Grok’s ability to deliver more complex, contextual, and relevant answers, securing its place among the most advanced large language models (LLMs) currently available.

Key innovations in Grok 3

  • Advanced Reasoning: Grok 3 introduces an upgraded architecture capable of addressing highly complex problems with greater precision. From logical reasoning to advanced mathematical and scientific queries, Grok delivers deeper insights. It’s Think Mode, available directly through the interface, allows the model to analyse user input more thoroughly before answering, producing significantly more accurate results.
  • DeepSearch Mode: This on-demand feature enables Grok 3 to perform iterative web searches, cross-referencing multiple sources to provide comprehensive, well-documented answers. It is particularly effective for topics requiring in-depth analysis.
  • Image Generation: Thanks to integration with the Aurora model, Grok 3 can generate images from textual descriptions, broadening its creative and visual applications.
  • Multilingual Support: Optimised for multiple languages—including Italian—Grok 3 delivers answers with a high degree of fluency and accuracy, making it accessible to a truly global audience.
Grok creativity

These innovations have rapidly consolidated Grok’s reputation as one of the most advanced and versatile chatbots on the market, helping it climb the rankings for intelligence, responsiveness, and real-world usability.

Performance: How does Grok 3 perform in benchmarks?

One of the most notable tests is the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME), a highly challenging mathematics competition for U.S. high school students.

  • Grok 3 achieved a score of 93.3%, outperforming major competitors such as DeepSeek, Gemini 2.0, and even ChatGPT’s O3 Mini.
  • This result highlights not only Grok’s raw computational strength but also its ability to apply advanced reasoning to complex mathematical problems.

GPQA and LiveCodeBench results

Beyond mathematics, Grok 3 has also been tested in other advanced benchmarks:

  • GPQA (Graduate-Level Problem Solving in Question Answering): evaluates expert-level reasoning and knowledge at the university standard. Grok 3 consistently ranked at the top.
  • LiveCodeBench: measures AI performance in coding, debugging, and technical problem-solving. Once again, Grok 3 delivered superior results compared to rival LLMs.
Grok benchmark achievements

These benchmark achievements are supported by real-world feedback from AI researchers and enthusiasts across online forums. Many highlight Grok’s reliability, speed, and contextual accuracy, positioning it as one of the most advanced and high-performing chatbots currently available.

Grok is integrated into X: a new way of experiencing information

In the increasingly crowded landscape of conversational AI, Grok stands out not only for its technical capabilities but also for the way it integrates into the living fabric of digital information. Its native connection with X is not just an extra feature, but the very core of its identity.

While most chatbots operate in separate environments, where conversations are confined to isolated windows, Grok lives inside the platform itself—moving with the daily rhythm of posts, debates, controversies, and viral trends. It is not an assistant you summon on command, but an intelligence embedded in the flow, ready to step in whenever and wherever it is needed.

The result is a more fluid and human interaction, where AI is no longer perceived as an external tool but as an integral part of the conversation. Simply mention it in a comment, and Grok can clarify a confusing concept, summarise a heated discussion, or provide an informed perspective on what you are reading—all while adapting to the tone and context without disrupting the natural flow of the exchange.

Chat with Grok

This makes Grok a valuable tool not only for everyday users trying to navigate the endless stream of news but also for creators, journalists, and researchers, who gain quick, reliable assistance in verifying sources, spotting misinformation, or contextualising statements.

Looking forward

The integration of Grok and X could redefine how people engage with social content. Instead of being passive readers or reactive commentators, users become active participants supported by AI—an assistant capable of explaining, summarising, and validating information in real time.

Grok and Polymarket: a new strategic alliance

On 6 June 2025, a groundbreaking collaboration was announced between Grok and Polymarket, the leading blockchain-based prediction market platform. This partnership represents a significant step in bridging artificial intelligence with decentralised, user-driven data sources—tying AI development more closely to collective behaviour and real-time market sentiment.

Grok and Polymarket alliance

With this integration, Grok gains direct access to live data from Polymarket’s prediction markets, enabling the model to capture and interpret the collective expectations of thousands of users. In practice, this means Grok’s responses will be informed not only by static knowledge and real-time content from X, but also by dynamic, crowd-driven insights about future events.

The result is an AI enriched by the “wisdom of the crowd,” capable of producing answers that are more accurate, timely, and grounded in real-world sentiment. Beyond the technical upgrade, this collaboration highlights a strategic intersection between artificial intelligence, decentralised finance, and social media. This convergence could reshape how people access information, engage in discussions, and make decisions in today’s digital landscape.

Regulatory hurdles in Europe and the UK

For those asking, “Where is Grok available?”, the answer is not entirely straightforward. Currently, direct access to Grok via its official website is restricted in both Europe and the UK, due to incomplete compliance with regional privacy regulations such as the GDPR.

That said, Grok is not entirely out of reach for European users. The model is already integrated into the X platform, where it is available to subscribers of Premium and Premium+ plans. Notably, the Premium+ subscription unlocks full access to Grok’s most advanced features.

This means that, even without a formal web launch in jurisdictions with stricter regulations, users in Europe and the UK can still interact with Grok directly through X—though in a slightly different way compared to the standalone experience offered on the official website.

Grok Regulatory hurdles in Europe and the UK

From chatbot to AI agent: Grok’s (possible) leap into the crypto world

With its latest updates and rapidly growing computing power, Grok may soon evolve into what the Web3 community calls an AI agent—an intelligent assistant capable of guiding users step by step through the crypto ecosystem.

AI agents

As interest in the convergence between artificial intelligence and decentralised technologies continues to rise, Grok is positioning itself as one of the key players in this emerging transformation. The shift from chatbot to AI agent could radically improve the user experience, making access to cryptocurrencies and blockchain applications easier, more intuitive, and more accessible—even for beginners.

Several developments reinforce this hypothesis:

  • The strategic partnership with Polymarket integrates collective market sentiment into Grok’s responses.
  • Elon Musk has a long-standing interest in decentralised applications and blockchain.
  • Grok’s modular architecture, which could, in the future, enable integration with wallets, smart contracts, and governance protocols.

Although still a projection, the potential is significant. Such a move could mark a turning point in the mainstream adoption of blockchain technologies.

Conclusions

After analysing what Grok is and exploring its main features, one thing is clear: Grok is evolving. With version 3 and its deeper integration into X, it is no longer just a conversational assistant, but an active interpreter of digital information—capable of contextualising, synthesising, and guiding users in increasingly complex environments.

Even more intriguing is the possibility that Grok could become one of the first truly operational AI agents in Web3. If realised, this evolution could drastically simplify entry into the crypto world, lowering barriers and fostering broader, more inclusive adoption.However, challenges remain. Regulation continues to lag behind technological progress, and Grok—given its visibility and impact—will inevitably sit at the centre of this debate. Its future success will therefore depend not only on technical innovation, but also on its ability to balance rapid progress with regulatory compliance.

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