xAI Unveils Grok-3 AI: A Powerful New Chatbot That Outperforms Competitors
Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, has introduced Grok-3, its latest and most advanced AI chatbot. During a live-streamed launch event that drew nearly 100,000 viewers, Musk described Grok-3 as “significantly more capable” than its predecessor, Grok-2, within a short development timeframe. He credited the xAI team for their dedication, calling it an honor to work with them.
Grok-3 vs. Other AI Models
xAI released benchmark comparisons showing Grok-3 surpassing major AI models such as Google’s Gemini 2 Pro, DeepSeek V3, and OpenAI’s GPT-4o, particularly in science, coding, and mathematics. Musk also shared the inspiration behind the name “Grok,” explaining that it originates from Robert Heinlein’s novel Stranger in a Strange Land, meaning to deeply and completely understand something—an ability the chatbot aims to embody.
Key Upgrades in Grok-3
Grok-3 introduces significant advancements, including:
- Enhanced Computing Power: The model boasts over 10 times the computing capability of Grok-2.
- Faster Learning: Pre-training was completed in early January, and the system continues to improve daily. Musk noted that users could see enhancements within 24 hours.
- DeepSearch Tool: This AI-powered smart search engine goes beyond providing direct answers by explaining its reasoning and thought process—a feature similar to Perplexity AI’s DeepResearch tool.
Grok-3 is now available to Premium+ subscribers on X (formerly Twitter), with xAI also introducing a SuperGrok subscription for users on the Grok mobile app and website.
xAI vs. OpenAI: The Rivalry Continues
Musk has been openly critical of OpenAI, the company he co-founded but later distanced himself from. He recently filed lawsuits against OpenAI, accusing it of deviating from its original mission. Additionally, he made an unsuccessful $97.4 billion offer to acquire OpenAI’s nonprofit arm, which CEO Sam Altman dismissed as an attempt to slow them down.
While xAI is reportedly seeking $10 billion in funding, which could value the company at $75 billion, OpenAI is aiming for $40 billion, potentially pushing its valuation to $300 billion.
Infrastructure Expansion
Building an advanced AI like Grok-3 requires massive computing power. xAI revealed that it constructed a new data center within four months, activating 100,000 GPUs in just 122 days and later doubling that capacity in 92 days.
Tech companies are also making big moves in AI infrastructure. Dell Technologies is reportedly closing a $5 billion deal to supply xAI with high-performance servers, while firms like SoftBank, Oracle, and Abu Dhabi-backed MGX are planning AI investments totaling $500 billion.
With Grok-3’s debut, xAI is positioning itself as a strong competitor in the AI industry, aiming to challenge the dominance of major players like OpenAI and Google.
