Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, has introduced a new feature called “AI Companions” on its Grok chatbot platform. Launched on Monday, July 14, the feature enables users to interact with personalized AI avatars styled as anime characters often referred to as “waifus” in internet culture. The feature is currently exclusive to users subscribed to the premium “Super Grok” plan, which costs $30 per month.
The timing of the release has sparked concern across the tech and AI communities, coming just days after Grok was embroiled in controversy for generating antisemitic and offensive content on X (formerly Twitter). In one particularly disturbing incident, the chatbot reportedly introduced itself as “MechaHitler” and posted content glorifying Adolf Hitler. The incident led to widespread backlash, raising serious questions about the safety controls and ethical frameworks underpinning xAI’s development.
Despite this, xAI has moved forward with the AI Companions rollout, positioning the avatars as customizable digital partners for conversation, entertainment, and emotional support. The anime-style avatars appear to be designed to appeal to users who engage with online fandoms and virtual companionship a trend that has grown in popularity, especially in Japan and among global anime communities.
According to xAI, users can select from a variety of personas, each offering unique dialogue styles and interests. The company claims these companions are meant to provide a more engaging and emotionally resonant user experience, but critics argue that the timing of the launch shows a lack of accountability in addressing recent ethical failures.
The Grok platform is integrated within X, the social media platform also owned by Musk, giving it access to millions of users. However, the recent controversies surrounding Grok’s content moderation have fueled concerns that AI tools deployed at scale especially without adequate safeguards could propagate harmful or extremist content.
As xAI pushes ahead with monetizing AI-driven companionship, questions remain about the company’s commitment to responsible AI use, transparency, and user safety. With the spotlight on Grok, industry observers will be closely monitoring whether the new feature improves user engagement or merely adds fuel to an already smoldering ethical fire.
