Elon Musk’s xAI opens Grok 4 access to free tier as GPT-5 backlash grows

Elon Musk’s xAI Holdings Corp. has made the latest version of its artificial intelligence model, Grok 4, free to all users, albeit with usage caps, as controversy continues around OpenAI’s GPT-5 model.

Grok 4 made its debut on July 10 with improved reasoning, faster response times and broader multimodal capabilities compared with earlier versions. By the numbers, Grok 4 is competitive with, and in some cases surpasses, rival models such as OpenAI’s GPT-5 and Anthropic PBC Claude 3.5 in reasoning benchmarks and speed, but until now, it needed a paid subscription to access.

According to an announcement from xAI, free users can now access Grok 4 by using auto mode, with Grok routing complex queries to Grok 4. To trigger Grok 4 directly, users can choose “expert” anytime to always use Grok 4. The post also added that “For a limited time, we are rolling out generous usage limits so you can explore Grok 4’s full potential.”

Exactly what those limits are, though, is unclear. According to reports, the limit could be as little as five queries a day or ten messages per 12 hours, although Grok itself, when asked, says that “the current limits are more generous but temporary,” referencing the announcement from xAI.

Alongside making Grok 4 available to non-paying users, xAI has also made Grok Imagine, its AI image-to-video generation tool, free for all users in the U.S. for a limited time. Grok Imagine competes with OpenAI’s Sora and Google LLC’s Veo 3 and is available on iOS and Android platforms. Notably, the 15-second videos made by the tool include sound, a feature OpenAI’s Sora is yet to match.

“The free rollout is likely a strategic move to boost adoption, gather user feedback and compete with rivals like OpenAI’s GPT-5,” the Grok AI told SiliconANGLE when asking about details of the free offering. “xAI aims to convert free users to paid subscribers by showcasing Grok 4’s capabilities, such as advanced reasoning, multimodal inputs (text, voice, images), and real-time information retrieval.”

Though Elon Musk and xAI may have always intended to roll out Grok 4 access for free users, the timing is interesting and could be more than a coincidence, as it comes as a significant number of OpenAI users express dissatisfaction with GPT-5.

On Reddit and social media, users have described GPT-5 as sterile, overly cautious and lacking the creativity of its predecessor. One user labeled GPT-5 as a “corporate beige zombie,” reflecting sentiment that the model has lost its charm and connection with long-time ChatGPT users.

OpenAI has responded by reinstating GPT-4o access for Plus subscribers and increasing rate limits for GPT-5 Thinking. But the way GPT-5 was rolled out and Sam Altman’s and OpenAI’s disconnect with its user base make it an ideal time for competitors to pitch their alternative offerings. Whether intentional timing or coincidence, the net result of xAI making Grok 4 free, even with limited use rates, is offering an alternative to unhappy ChatGPT users.

Image: SiliconANGLE/Reve

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