A surprising partnership is brewing between the messaging giant Telegram and Elon Musk’s ambitious AI venture, xAI. Telegram CEO Pavel Durov announced that xAI is investing a substantial $300 million into the platform, a move designed to integrate xAI’s Grok chatbot directly into Telegram’s user experience. This collaboration aims to give Telegram users access to cutting-edge AI technology, bolstering the platform’s appeal in a competitive messaging landscape.
In addition to the upfront investment, Telegram stands to gain a significant revenue stream, securing 50% of all xAI subscription sales made through its platform. Durov emphasized that this year-long partnership will greatly enhance Telegram’s financial stability. However, the saga took an unexpected turn when Musk later posted on X stating, “No deal has been signed,” leaving many questioning the status of the agreement. Despite Musk’s statement, it is clear both companies are still in talks and some kind of partnership is being explored.
As Telegram gears up to integrate Grok, the platform navigates other challenges, including an ongoing investigation in France concerning alleged illegal activities on the platform. Nevertheless, with over a billion monthly users and plans to raise a substantial $1.5 billion through a bond issue, Telegram continues to be a major player, particularly popular in regions like Russia and Ukraine. Meanwhile, xAI is also dealing with its own issues, including recent controversy surrounding Grok’s responses to certain prompts, highlighting the complexities of managing advanced AI systems.