Elon Musk Announces ’Baby Grok’ for Kids Amid AI Companion Criticism

Elon Musk revealed plans to launch a child-friendly version of xAI's Grok chatbot during a livestream, addressing recent controversies over inappropriate AI companions. The Tesla CEO expects Grok to make significant technological discoveries by year-end, stating failure to do so would "come as a shock."

The announcement follows global backlash against xAI's current companion characters, including a sexualized anime bot and an insult-generating red panda. These features remain accessible even in kid mode, despite being programmable. Musk's Baby Grok initiative marks a strategic pivot toward safer AI interactions for younger users.

xAI recently deployed Grok 4, which Musk touts as the world's most powerful AI model. The platform broke new ground by offering specialized AI companions—a feature most major tech firms avoid due to reputational risks. Smaller AI companies continue experimenting with such implementations despite potential hazards.