In a strategic move aimed at enhancing user engagement and potentially bolstering subscriber numbers, Elon Musk's xAI has announced the expansion of access to its Grok AI chatbot. Following the company's decision to open source the Grok large language model earlier in March, Musk revealed on Tuesday that Grok would be made available to all Premium subscribers on X, not just those on the higher-end Premium+ tier, as previously offered.This development, while indicative of a possible bid to compete more directly with other popular chatbots such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude, also signifies a proactive measure by X to address declining user engagement.

Recent data from Sensor Tower, as reported by NBC News, revealed an 18% year-over-year decrease in X usage in the U.S. as of February, coupled with a 23% decline since Musk's acquisition. Additionally, X's revenue prospects may have been impacted by Musk's stance against advertisers, with a significant drop in ad spending observed among the top U.S. advertisers on the platform.The introduction of Grok to X's Premium subscribers could serve as a retention strategy amidst growing competition from alternative platforms. Musk's announcement comes at a time when users are increasingly exploring decentralized platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky, as well as Instagram's Threads, which have witnessed rapid growth.

Grok's appeal to Musk's followers and avid X users lies in its unique ability to engage in discussions on typically taboo topics such as conspiracies and controversial political ideas, coupled with its "rebellious streak" as described by Musk. Notably, Grok possesses the capability to access real-time X data, setting it apart from its competitors.Although Musk did not specify an exact timeline for the rollout of Grok to X users, he assured that it would be enabled for all Premium subscribers later in the week. Previously, Grok was exclusively available to Premium+ subscribers, highlighting X's commitment to democratizing access to its AI-driven features. As X navigates challenges in user retention and revenue generation, the expansion of Grok's availability underscores Musk's proactive approach to leveraging technology to maintain X's relevance in the evolving digital landscape.