X, formerly known as Twitter, has introduced a new feature in its Explore section that utilizes Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, to summarize personalized trending stories. This feature is exclusive to X’s Premium subscribers and provides a concise overview of the posts associated with each trending story on the “For You” tab.
The For You page on X showcases popular news and stories within a user’s network, making it a convenient way to stay updated without spending excessive time scrolling through the timeline. For instance, a user’s For You page may feature stories about Apple’s upcoming iPad event, Microsoft’s security overhaul, or burnout among AI engineers. When users tap on a specific story, they will now see a Grok-powered summary at the top, offering them a brief overview of the subject matter.
The AI-powered summary for the burnout among AI engineers story, for example, highlights the competitive race in the tech industry and the prioritization of investor satisfaction over solving actual problems. It also mentions the need for proper safeguards and thoughtful innovation. However, X adds a humorous disclaimer below the summary, reminding users to verify Grok’s outputs as it can make mistakes.
While the idea of summarizing trends is not new, X’s approach sets it apart. Twitter had previously added headlines and descriptions to its trends in 2020, but without the assistance of an AI bot like Grok. The summaries were often inconsistent, with some trends receiving additional information while others did not.
Access to Grok through X’s Premium subscriptions is intended to incentivize users to upgrade their accounts. With the Premium and top-tier Premium+ plans, users can access Grok by tapping on the designated button in the app. Grok stands out from other AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT, due to its rebellious and real-time access to X data.
Elon Musk further outlined his plans for AI-powered news on X in an email conversation with a tech journalist, Alex Kantrowitz. According to Kantrowitz’s article, Grok’s summaries will primarily rely on conversations happening on X rather than analyzing the article text itself. This approach raises concerns about accurately representing the news being shared, as users’ discussions may be more focused on their reactions and opinions rather than the actual news content.
AI news summaries are not limited to X, as other startups and former Twitter engineers are also developing similar features. Arc’s web browser includes an AI summary feature, and a service called Particle is being built by former Twitter engineers. The impact of these AI summaries on news site traffic remains uncertain. While users may be intrigued and inclined to explore the source material further, it is possible that some news sites may suffer decreased page views and, consequently, financial difficulties.
To address this challenge, news publishers are forming partnerships with AI providers. OpenAI has recently announced a partnership with the Financial Times, while Axel Springer, the Associated Press, Le Monde, and others have made similar moves. X, on the other hand, leverages the conversations surrounding news to access relevant information without needing direct partnerships for news content. This approach is both clever and worrisome, as it raises concerns about the potential spread of misinformation.
Grok’s Stories are currently being rolled out to Premium X subscribers. Premium access starts at $8 per month when purchased through the web rather than app stores.