xAI ramps up Grok's power as chatbot goes viral

Technology Jan 09, 2026

Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI, is giving its chatbot Grok a serious boost in computing power after it exploded in popularity on X.
Grok shot to the top of app charts in Ireland, Spain, Belgium, and France, as user demand surged for a variety of reasons.

Addressing slowdowns and controversies

Musk admitted that all the buzz led to slower response times for Grok, so xAI is working on speeding things up.
At the same time, the platform has come under scrutiny for users creating unauthorized images—often of women.
While Musk hasn't spoken directly about the deepfake trend, he says xAI will crack down on illegal content.
India's government has also asked for details on how Grok plans to handle obscene material going forward.