Telegram, the popular messaging platform, has announced a partnership with xAI, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) company, to integrate xAI’s AI assistant, Grok, into its services. According to Telegram’s founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, the deal will involve distributing Grok to Telegram’s user base of over a billion people and integrating it into the platform’s apps. Under the terms of the agreement, which lasts for a year, Telegram will receive $300 million in cash and equity from xAI, as well as 50% of the revenue generated from xAI subscriptions sold through Telegram. Durov expressed his excitement about the collaboration, stating, “Together, we win!” This partnership brings together two influential figures in the tech industry. Durov, who has faced criticism for his handling of moderation on the Telegram app, was arrested in France in 2024 on accusations of failing to properly address criminal activity on the platform. He has since denied these allegations. Musk, on the other hand, is a tech entrepreneur with a diverse range of interests, from brain implant start-up Neuralink to rocket manufacturing firm SpaceX. He is also known for his involvement in US politics and his role in the administration of President Donald Trump. Musk’s investment in AI is significant. He co-founded OpenAI, the world’s leading AI research lab, and later left due to disagreements over its direction. He has since been developing xAI as a rival to OpenAI and other industry leaders. In March 2023, Musk announced the acquisition of X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, in a deal valuing xAI at $80 billion. Media analyst Hanna Kahlert of Midia Research cautions that the integration of AI into messaging apps may not be what users want. She notes that users primarily use social platforms to connect with friends and see their updates. Adding AI to direct messaging, she argues, could reduce trust between users and distract from the core user experience. Despite these concerns, the partnership between Telegram and xAI represents an exciting development in the intersection of social media and AI. As the tech industry continues to evolve, we can expect to see more collaborations between these two domains.