xAI, the artificial intelligence company owned by Elon Musk, has unveiled a new feature within its Grok chatbot platform: animated companion avatars. The update, currently available to SuperGrok subscribers, includes two characters — Ani, an anime-inspired figure, and Rudy, a stylised red panda.
These avatars are part of an early-stage rollout, with broader accessibility expected in the coming weeks. SuperGrok, the premium tier of the chatbot service, is priced at $30 per month.
Ani is capable of responding to user messages with animated gestures such as spinning, jumping and dancing. The character also features voice interaction, including a whispering mode. Her design, particularly her twin ponytails and stylised appearance, has drawn comparisons to Misa Amane from the Japanese anime Death Note.
Optional Modes and Other Companions
Some reports note that Ani includes an optional mode intended for mature users. This setting must be activated manually through the app’s configuration menu. Elon Musk described the rollout as a «soft launch,» with plans to simplify access to the feature in the near future.
Although companions are currently intended for paying users, there have been indications that some free users have been able to access the avatars, suggesting the availability may be broader than officially stated.
In addition to Ani and Rudy, users have discovered references to another forthcoming avatar named Chad. The Grok app already supports voice-based interaction with a standard, faceless version of the assistant, which also includes a toggle for mature content.
This expansion of interactive features follows controversy surrounding Grok’s recent output, which included offensive content. xAI attributed the incident to a coding issue in an upstream update unrelated to the Grok team.
Kursiv also reports that Elon Musk has confirmed his intention to form a new political party.
Kursiv also reports Elon Musk has confirmed his intention to form a new political party.
