Initially, Grok AI was only available to premium subscribers, but in December 2024, xAI expanded access to all users on X, including those without a paid subscription. Since then, everyone has been able to use Grok AI to generate text and images and even utilize it as a search engine, though there is a daily usage limit.
In this article, we’ll explore how to use Grok AI effectively and make the most of this free-to-use commercial AI tool.
Grok is an AI-powered chatbot that can respond to text prompts, engage in conversations, and even generate images. It is currently available on X, with a standalone iOS app and can also be accessed through x.com on desktop. Advertised as a chatbot with a sense of humor, Grok has undergone multiple updates since its initial launch in November 2023. The latest versions, Grok-2 and Grok-2 mini, were introduced in August 2024, bringing improvements such as image generation and enhanced reasoning capabilities. Free-tier users on X currently have a limit of 10 text prompts every two hours and can generate up to three images at a time.
Grok AI features an interface similar to other large language models, with an input box labeled “Ask Anything,” where users can submit prompts and upload images or documents for summarization. For example, when a research paper from Nature Medicine was uploaded with the prompt “What is this document?”, Grok AI quickly provided a response, including the article’s title, publication details, study overview, key findings, methods, statistical analysis, and implications. Users can also ask follow-up questions about the document, such as requesting a summary or a visual representation of the text. Additionally, you can attach documents to receive reports, analyses, and more.
Real-time Search
Grok AI also serves as a powerful tool for real-time search, leveraging its access to up-to-the-minute information from X, which is an extensive database in itself. While Twitter was once a go-to source for breaking news, Grok AI now consolidates the latest headlines in one place. For instance, when we searched for “top headlines,” the chatbot quickly provided results from various sources, displaying the number of articles and web pages it referenced.
For shoppers, Grok AI can also be used to look up a wide range of products and services. While it functions as a search engine, it’s important to verify the results, as the chatbot may sometimes provide incomplete information. Given Twitter’s long history since 2006, Grok AI can tap into a massive reservoir of knowledge, including billions of tweets, academic insights, expert opinions, and public figures’ updates. This sets Grok AI apart from its competitors, making it a unique and valuable tool.
Pick Your Mode
Grok AI offers two distinct modes: Regular Mode and Fun Mode. Regular Mode, which is the default setting, is designed for users seeking clear, factual responses without any embellishment. It focuses on providing straightforward information. In contrast, Fun Mode, introduced in March 2024 and described by Elon Musk as “unhinged fun mode,” adds a playful touch of humour and sarcasm to the chatbot’s responses. While Fun Mode can provide an entertaining experience, Regular Mode is ideal for tasks like brainstorming ideas, whether for business or project management.
Image Generation on the Go
Among free AI image generators, Grok stands out for its ability to create hyperrealistic images. Powered by its integration with FLUX, an open-source AI image generator, Grok can generate unfiltered visuals, including images of real people, such as celebrities and political figures. It can even produce sensitive images. However, there are some restrictions regarding the creation of images that could infringe on copyrights or trademarks. We tested Grok by generating lifelike images of various celebrities, including Shah Rukh Khan, Jennifer Lawrence, Salman Khan, and Ranbir Kapoor. The results featured highly detailed, realistic depictions.
With Grok AI now accessible to free users, there were concerns about the creation of inappropriate images involving random celebrities. During our testing, we used prompts containing words like “naked,” “nude,” and “porn.” The chatbot demonstrated its protective measures by generating content that remained safe for work, ensuring no nude images were produced. This safeguard applied equally to both free-tier and subscription users, across Android, iOS, and web platforms.
It’s worth noting that, similar to ChatGPT, Grok struggles with generating images that contain text. When we asked it to create a birthday party invitation with text included, the resulting image, although visually appealing, had garbled text. However, it works well for simple tasks like making birthday greeting cards or “good morning” messages, where minimal text is involved.
Fact-Check in Real Time
Grok also serves as a valuable tool for fact-checking tweets. It can summarize news and reference sources, offering an advantage over other AI models like ChatGPT and Gemini. This capability is enhanced by Grok’s access to X’s data, ensuring accuracy and traceability. You can simply paste a tweet’s URL and ask the chatbot to fact-check it, receiving a detailed response with the relevant information.