X (formerly Twitter) is close to launching an updated Explore page, which will feature topic summaries, generated by its Grok AI chatbot, while also giving in-progress Spaces more exposure in the app.
As you can see in this example, posted by X News Daily, the updated Explore format will provide overviews generated in real-time by Grok, while also featuring a new “Live on X” breakout box, so you can tune into in-progress Spaces and live-streams.
Which could be the most important element, because while X claims that it’s hosting more than 450k Spaces chats in the app every week, they’re not always so easy to find. Essentially, you have to be following a host of a Space, or someone who’s tuning in, in order to be aware that it’s happening at all, and with so many chats being hosted, that seems like a missed opportunity for maximizing engagement.
Video views are also rising in the app, according to X, while it remains the go-to destination for coverage of live events, aside from traditional TV.
As such, having a dedicated space to showcase this could be a big step, and could lead to a lot more users tuning into X’s in-the-moment broadcasts.
Though X, of course, is most likely looking to boost awareness of Grok, its AI chatbot, which X owner Elon Musk seemingly bore out of pure spite.
Back in 2015, when ChatGPT maker OpenAI was first starting out, Musk partnered with OpenAI founders Greg Brockman and Sam Altman to help get the project off the ground. At that time, Musk committed to donating $100 million of his own money to the project, which, at that stage, was a non-profit entity aimed at researching safe and ethical use of AI.
In 2017, however, Musk sought to essentially take control of OpenAI, with a pitch that would see him gain majority equity, board control, and the title of CEO. OpenAI rejected Musk’s offer, which then saw Musk withhold part of his promised donation, and eventually move on from the project entirely. Since then, of course, OpenAI has gone on to become a for-profit project, generating billions in revenue.
Which Elon seems to have taken personally.
Hence xAI, and Grok, as well as Musk’s legal action against OpenAI, citing various grievances.
Given the project’s origins, it’s hard to predict what will become of Elon’s own AI project, which is powered by X posts, which xAI says gives it a unique advantage. Musk has invested millions into buying up hardware for the project, which is why X is now looking to get more people using it, with a view to making it a more significant element of the app.
Which is why it’s being used here, in providing summaries for Explore. Which could be valuable, could be nothing.
X is also giving all Premium users access to Grok, and giving more users free access to Premium. So, really, it seems like Elon has put the demand out to his team that they incorporate more Grok where they can, which seems like the real motivation for this coming update.
But as noted, the live tab may end up being more valuable. Though really, any update to X’s basic Explore page is probably a good thing.
