Telegram Partners with Elon Musk to Launch Grok AI, Challenging WhatsApp and Meta

Telegram Officially Collaborates with Elon Musk’s xAI, Bringing Grok AI to 1 Billion Users

A New Revolution in Instant Messaging

The summer of 2025 marks a new era in the world of instant messaging apps. Telegram, with over one billion users worldwide, has announced a spectacular partnership with Elon Musk’s xAI. Through an exclusive one-year agreement, Telegram will integrate the Grok chatbot—an advanced AI developed by Elon Musk—directly into all Telegram apps globally.

This strategic move not only strengthens Telegram’s position as an innovative messaging platform but also boldly challenges the dominance of WhatsApp and the Meta ecosystem, which have long dictated the rules in global communication apps.

Deal Details: Fresh Capital and Revenue Sharing

Telegram is set to receive $300 million in cash and equity from xAI, a significant boost for the company’s financial standing, which has remained independent without major investors. Not only that, Telegram will also be entitled to 50% of all Grok AI subscription revenues sold through its app. This revenue-sharing model far surpasses the App Store or Google Play, which typically only offer 15–30%.

This new income stream will enable Telegram to expand its feature set, strengthen its infrastructure, and maintain its independence—free from IPO pressures or the heavy ad reliance seen in Meta’s business model.

Grok AI: A Bold Chatbot, Real-Time Data, and the Elon Musk Touch

Grok AI is no ordinary chatbot. Developed with unique capabilities, Grok offers real-time data access, a naturally conversational—sometimes even sarcastic—style, and the ability to answer sensitive questions often avoided by conventional AIs. Elon Musk claims Grok can serve as a research assistant, discussion partner, and content creator for trending topics—perfectly aligned with Telegram’s active and expressive community.

Integrating Grok into Telegram will enrich the ecosystem of channels, groups, and even private chats, allowing every user to enjoy cutting-edge AI services right at their fingertips.

Financial Impact and Telegram’s Business Strategy

Telegram has long operated a freemium and premium model, with limited profitability. With this major capital injection and generous revenue-sharing deal, Telegram has secured a new income source beyond advertising—proving its potential as a future platform without bowing to the tech giants. The 50% revenue share also creates monetization opportunities for creators, channel admins, and bot developers eager to build AI-based services.

Tough Competition in Messaging and AI

The arrival of Grok AI on Telegram poses a direct threat to WhatsApp, Messenger, and even WeChat, which have been closed to external AI integrations. While Meta has already implemented AI in its platforms, its ecosystem remains closed and less developer-friendly. With Grok, Telegram emerges as a pioneer in the instant messaging space, AI-friendly and open to external innovation.

Ecosystem and Enhanced User Experience

Telegram is already known for its advanced bot ecosystem. With Grok’s arrival, developers will be able to create apps, automated news channels, community research tools, and even educational platforms powered by AI—all within Telegram. Features like superbots and personal assistants are now truly within reach.

For creators and communities, Grok provides a new tool to boost engagement, automate workflows, and monetize channels and groups more easily. For everyday users, the presence of AI in daily conversations adds significant value.

Challenges: Moderation and Privacy in the AI Era

Despite its promise, this collaboration faces significant regulatory and moderation challenges. Grok’s “unfiltered” nature increases the risk of pressure from governments in various countries, particularly regarding misinformation, hate speech, or user privacy concerns. Telegram must ensure transparency in how user data is handled and guarantee that AI is used ethically to protect its reputation.

Telegram Set to Become a Global AI Super-App

The Telegram and Elon Musk xAI collaboration is more than just a feature upgrade; it’s transforming the instant messaging industry. Telegram is now a pioneer global super-app with integrated AI, challenging the dominance of Meta and WhatsApp, and opening the door for exponential growth. For the tech world, this move signals that the future of messaging apps lies with platforms that dare to innovate and embrace artificial intelligence.