Grok chatbot has AI companions with piquant images — a new monetization model from Elon Musk

Elon Musk-founded xAI has added a new virtual companion service to the Grok chatbot functionality, available exclusively to premium SuperGrok subscribers. The subscription price is $ 30 per month, and users get access to a set of characters that interact with the audience in an emotional and visual manner, close to images from anime and the gaming subculture.

One of these characters was a virtual girl named Eni, who visually resembles the heroine of Japanese anime: a short black dress, corset, fishnet stockings and style inspired by the culture of "anime noir". Users have already shared dozens of videos showing Eni whispering, singing, "dancing" and imitating forms of friendly flirting. According to the descriptions, Eni responds to commands, can change her voice, change her mood, and appear in more revealing outfits, including virtual underwear.

In addition to Eni, the new AI companions include the character Rudy, an anthropomorphic panda whose behavior varies from friendly to aggressive depending on user settings. In the future, it is planned to introduce a character named Chad, although details have not yet been revealed.

The integration of such features in Grok reflects a new wave of commercialization of generative AI through emotional engagement and gamified communication. Unlike classic AI models that focus on informative responses, Grok companions are created as emotionally-oriented digital personalities that can form the habit of daily interaction with the product.

According to analysts, such an approach can be effective among young and gaming audiences, where the image of an anime girl or a sarcastic virtual animal can not only entertain, but also create a link to a paid platform, expanding loyalty and engagement.

Currently, access to the new features is limited to SuperGrok subscribers, but it is possible that in the future some of the functionality will be offered at other subscription levels. There is a question of regulating the ethical boundaries in the representation of virtual characters — especially taking into account the age of the audience and the nature of interaction.

However, Grok remains one of the few commercial AI products that actively experiments with the emotional simulation interface, turning chatbot interaction into a personalized digital show.