Elon Musk’s AI company xAI has launched a new feature for its chatbot, Grok, introducing interactive anime-inspired companions. The rollout is seen as a significant step towards personalized AI companionship, offering playful, animated avatars within the app. This latest move combines Musk’s signature flair for spectacle with the rising trend of emotional AI companions.
Here is the Key Features:
- Companions Launch: Announced on July 14, 2025, Grok’s “Companions” are animated, interactive characters now available to SuperGrok (premium) subscribers.
- Anime Companion “Ani”: The standout is “Ani”—a blonde, gothic anime girl styled with pigtails, a black corset, and thigh-high fishnets. Her style is reminiscent of well-known anime tropes, and she’s designed as a customizable digital companion.
- Other Characters: Alongside Ani, users can interact with “Rudy,” a sarcastic, animated red panda. There are indications more companions, including male characters, are being developed.
- Interaction Modes: Users can chat with these avatars via text or voice; characters feature expressive head and body movements for a more dynamic AI experience.
- NSFW Mode: Ani offers a “Not Safe For Work” setting, reportedly allowing the avatar to appear in lingerie after engaging with users, which sparked debate online. This mode is toggleable via settings and has led to a viral response.
- Availability: The feature is initially accessible only to iOS users with Premium+ and SuperGrok subscriptions (costing up to $300/month). Android and desktop access are expected in the future.
How to Access:
- Open the Grok app on iOS.
- Navigate to settings and enable the Companions feature.
- Select your AI companion to begin interacting, either through chat or voice.
Industry and Cultural Impact:
The launch mirrors other successful virtual companion apps (such as Character.ai) and aims to drive engagement and personalization for paying users. The move follows controversy over Grok’s responses to sensitive topics and reflects a rapid pivot to lighthearted, character-driven AI for entertainment. Ani’s design, skirting copyright issues by resembling but not copying famous anime characters, has sparked conversation and meme-making among anime fans and tech watchers.
Elon Musk’s xAI has added Companions to Grok, enabling users to personalize their interactions with AI through anime-style and cartoon avatars featuring playful, flirtatious, and sometimes adult-oriented personalities. As AI bots meet anime culture, the line between technology and digital companionship continues to blur
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