Social media platform X has made a major change to its AI offering by turning the popular ‘Ask Grok’ feature into a paid service. Previously available for free, the feature will now only be accessible to users with a premium subscription.
AI Feature Now Behind Paywall
‘Ask Grok’ is powered by the AI chatbot developed by xAI and was widely used to simplify conversations on X. Users could tag @grok in any thread to get quick answers or summaries.
With the latest update, only subscribers of X’s paid plans will be able to use this feature, marking a shift toward monetizing AI tools on the platform.
Why ‘Ask Grok’ Was Popular
The feature gained popularity for its ability to quickly summarize long and complex threads. When a post had hundreds of replies, users could simply ask Grok for the key points, saving time and effort.
It also provided additional context and insights on topics being discussed, making it easier for users to understand conversations without reading every comment.
How It Works
‘Ask Grok’ uses AI to analyze entire discussions within seconds and present them in a simplified format. This made it especially useful for users following trending topics, debates, or viral posts.
Subscription Plans and Pricing in India
X currently offers three subscription tiers for users in India:
-
Basic Plan: ₹170/month – Includes post editing, longer posts, and additional features (no blue tick).
-
Premium Plan: ₹427/month (web) / ₹470/month (mobile) – Offers blue tick, fewer ads, reply boost, and access to Grok AI.
-
Premium+ Plan: Around ₹2,570/month – Provides an almost ad-free experience, article publishing, and advanced AI tools.
Shift Toward Paid AI Services
This move highlights a growing trend among tech platforms to monetize advanced AI features. By placing ‘Ask Grok’ behind a paywall, X aims to boost its subscription revenue while offering exclusive tools to paying users.
While the change may disappoint free users, it signals that AI-powered features are becoming premium offerings in the evolving social media landscape.
