X Integrates Grok AI and takes another step in AI-driven content curation. The platform is now utilizing Musk’s AI chatbot to generate summaries of trending stories within the app’s Explore section.
Announced by the X Engineering team, the feature is exclusive to Premium subscribers, who can now access concise summaries of conversations surrounding each trending topic on the For You tab.
The For You page has long been a hub for breaking news and viral stories on X, surfacing popular discussions across the user’s network. Rather than spending time scrolling through multiple posts, Premium users can now get a quick digest powered by Grok AI.
For instance, a Tech enthusiast might see summaries on topics like Apple’s upcoming iPad event, Microsoft’s security overhaul, or burnout among AI engineers. When tapping on a trending story, a Grok-powered summary appears at the top, offering an overview of the discussion.
One such AI-related story summary reads: “AI engineers are facing burnout and rushed rollouts due to the competitive race in the tech industry, as companies prioritize investor satisfaction over solving actual problems.” It concludes with “Critics argue that proper safeguards and thoughtful innovation should not be afterthoughts in the pursuit of AI investments.”
Notably, a disclaimer under each summary states: “Grok can make mistakes, verify its outputs.”
Summarizing trending topics is not a new concept, but X’s approach is distinct.
Under its previous management, Twitter introduced headlines and descriptions for trends in 2020, though these were manually curated by editors.
With Grok AI, this process is now automated, ensuring that all trending news items in the For You section receive summaries, rather than only select topics.
Grok’s integration into trending news is also part of Musk’s broader strategy to drive Premium and Premium+ subscriptions. Access to Grok is exclusive to paid subscribers, accessible via the center button on the app’s navigation bar. Marketed as a more snarky and rebellious AI compared to competitors like ChatGPT, Grok’s key advantage lies in its real-time access to X data.
A report by tech journalist Alex Kantrowitz, citing an email exchange with Musk, outlines X’s vision for AI-powered news curation.
According to Kantrowitz, Grok’s summaries are solely based on conversations happening on X, rather than drawing directly from external articles. This raises concerns about potential misinformation, as X discussions often reflect opinions and reactions rather than objective reporting. Kantrowitz calls the move “controversial” but notes that it presents an opportunity for deeper user engagement.
The Broader Impact on News and Journalism
X is not the only player experimenting with AI-driven news summaries. Arc’s web browser has recently introduced a similar feature, while former Twitter engineers are working on Particle, an AI-powered news summarization platform.
The rise of AI-generated news summaries could significantly impact news publishers. Some analysts predict that fewer users will visit original news sources if AI can provide quick takeaways, potentially leading to a decline in traffic and ad revenue for publishers. Others, like Kantrowitz, suggest that well-executed summaries could pique user interest and encourage deeper exploration of original articles.
To counteract these concerns, some media companies are forming partnerships with AI firms. OpenAI recently announced a collaboration with The Financial Times, while publishers like Axel Springer, The Associated Press, and Le Monde have struck similar deals.
However, X’s approach is different—it bypasses direct partnerships by summarizing discussions about news rather than the articles themselves. This method allows the platform to offer AI-driven insights without formal agreements with publishers, a move that is both innovative and potentially controversial from a journalistic integrity standpoint.
For now, Grok-powered trending summaries are rolling out to X’s Premium subscribers.
Subscriptions start at $8 per month for web users, with higher costs for in-app purchases via mobile stores. As X continues to integrate AI into its platform, its approach to AI-driven news will likely shape how information is consumed in the digital age.
