xAI Set to Deploy Grok Chatbot on Telegram in $300M Deal

Elon Musk’s AI startup, xAI, is reportedly set to integrate its Grok chatbot into Telegram in a deal worth $300 million, aiming to tap into the platform’s user base of over one billion. According to Telegram founder Pavel Durov, the one-year partnership will involve a cash and stock transaction, and Telegram will receive 50% of all Grok-related subscription sales made through the app.

The collaboration marks a major move by xAI to extend its AI reach, leveraging Telegram’s massive global footprint. Durov emphasized that xAI will only access information that users voluntarily provide during direct interactions with Grok, maintaining a degree of privacy.

However, Elon Musk responded on X (formerly Twitter), stating that no official agreement has been signed yet. Durov clarified that both parties have reached an agreement in principle, with final formalities still pending.

If finalized, the deal could offer xAI a new stream of conversational data critical for enhancing its AI models. With many open-source datasets now depleted, AI companies like Meta have turned to user-generated interactions for model training. The potential data from Telegram could give xAI a competitive edge in the increasingly crowded AI landscape.

xAI, which also acquired X earlier this year, has been aggressively expanding into AI infrastructure and financial services through multiple strategic alliances. While X uses public posts to train its AI, it remains unclear if a similar approach will apply to Telegram user data.

Neither xAI nor Musk has provided further comment. Still, the anticipated Grok rollout could position Telegram as a more AI-integrated platform and signal xAI’s deeper push into real-time conversational AI at scale.