Elon Musk's Grok 4: A Revolution in AI?

The world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is moving incredibly fast. We're barely used to chatbots that write text or create pictures when Elon Musk announces Grok 4, a new AI model that aims to surpass everything we've seen before. While Musk claims it's the "smartest AI in the world," its subscription model is also making headlines. Is this the future of AI, or will it become an unaffordable luxury?

Musk's xAI team has presented Grok 4, an AI model designed to set new standards in thinking and problem-solving. Musk even says Grok 4 is "better than any PhD student in any field" and believes it will eventually "discover new physics." This model is designed to "reason," meaning it can solve problems where answers aren't easily found online, silencing critics who say AI only memorizes information.

Grok 4 excels in tough tests, like "Humanity's Last Exam," a very difficult benchmark. While Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro scored 26.9 percent, Grok 4 Heavy, with its improved "agentic abilities," reached over 44 percent. This is thanks to a tenfold increase in computing power compared to the previous Grok 3. Future plans include a video generator and more smart agents, expanding its potential uses.

However, Grok has faced some negative press. Earlier versions made antisemitic remarks, even praising Hitler. These incidents led to the deletion of those posts on X (formerly Twitter), where Grok is directly accessible. This may have contributed to the resignation of X CEO Linda Yaccarino. The cause was reportedly a "system prompt" that encouraged the chatbot to give politically incorrect answers. This highlights how easily powerful technologies can fall into the wrong hands or be trained improperly.

The real shock comes with the price. xAI has announced a new "SuperGrok Heavy" subscription costing $300 per month. This surpasses the subscription models of other major AI providers like OpenAI or Perplexity. This high price shows a trend in the AI industry: modern, powerful AI is extremely resource-intensive and costly to develop and operate. The high subscription fees are meant to cover these expenses.

What does this mean for the average user? Will access to the most advanced AI tools soon be limited to those who can afford a small fortune? On the bright side, the basic "SuperGrok" subscription costs significantly less at $30 per month.

Grok 4 enters a direct competition with OpenAI's upcoming GPT-5, expected to be released this summer. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman promises the new GPT version will far exceed its predecessor and be available to all users, making it easier to choose the right model. The race for the smartest and most accessible AI is on.

While Elon Musk focuses on a high-priced model for an elite group, OpenAI seems to be aiming for broader availability. It remains to be seen which strategy will succeed and whether "free AI" will truly give way to more expensive subscription models. For consumers and businesses, it will be crucial to see if the performance justifies the price and what ethical guidelines these powerful AIs will follow in the future.