What is xAI?
Quick answer
xAI is the AI company founded by Elon Musk in 2023. It makes the Grok family of models and the Grok assistant, which is available at grok.com, in its own apps and inside X, the social network formerly called Twitter. Developers can also use Grok models through the xAI API.
Last updated
Updated · By Robert Breen
Why it matters for a small business
xAI is one of the companies building frontier models, and Grok's tie to X gives it quick access to what people are posting right now. As of October 2026, xAI's model docs list Grok 4.7 as its flagship, released in September 2026, with a context window of 500,000 tokens. Consumer plans include SuperGrok at $30 a month, and xAI offers Grok Business seats for teams. Check xAI's own pricing page for current business prices, which we could not confirm.
Who it suits: people who want real-time takes on news and social posts, and developers comparing API prices. For confidential office work, read the data terms first. xAI's help pages say Grok chats may be used for training unless you turn off Improve the Model in Grok's data settings, and that Private Chat is not used for training. As with any consumer account, keep client data out unless your company has approved a business plan.
In a real lesson: Prompt Writing 101: Role, Context, Task, Format
Stepthrough has no Grok lesson. The prompting skills in Prompt Writing 101 work the same in Grok: say who the assistant should be, give it the context, state the task and describe the format you want back.
That four-part structure is also the fairest way to compare Grok with other assistants: paste the same prompt into each and judge the answers on your own facts.
Try this lesson free or read the step-by-step guide.
Common confusions
xAI vs Grok
xAI is the company. Grok is its assistant and model family.
xAI vs X
X is the social network. xAI makes the Grok assistant that is built into it, and Grok is also available on its own at grok.com.
Tips
- Check the Improve the Model setting before using Grok for anything work-related.
- Verify fast-moving claims from social posts against an original source.
- For a team, compare Grok Business with the plans your company already pays for.
Related terms
More AI assistants terms
Where you use it: free lessons
- Prompt Writing 101: Role, Context, Task, Format (ChatGPT, 8 min)
Frequently asked questions
- Is xAI part of X?
- xAI and X are closely linked, and Grok is built into X, but xAI is the company that builds the models. Ownership has changed over time, so check xAI's site for the current structure.
- How do I try xAI's models?
- Use Grok at grok.com, in the Grok apps or inside X. Developers can create an account on xAI's API console and pay by tokens.