The encrypted messaging service Telegram has entered right into a partnership with Elon Musk’s synthetic intelligence firm, xAI.
Saying the deal on social media, Telegram boss Pavel Durov mentioned it could see his agency distribute the AI assistant, Grok, to Telegram’s “billion+ customers and combine it into its apps”.
Mr Durov mentioned the association – which is because of final a 12 months – would see his firm obtain $300m (£223m) in money and fairness from xAI, plus 50% of income from xAI subscriptions offered through Telegram.
“Collectively, we win!”, he posted on social media.
It follows Meta incorporating an AI service into its messaging service, WhatsApp – a improvement it was forced to defend after grumbling from customers.
This tie-up brings collectively two of essentially the most vibrant and typically controversial figures in tech.
Mr Durov was arrested in France in August 2024, after being accused of failing to correctly reasonable his app to cut back criminality.
Critics had branded the platform the “dark web in your pocket” due to what they mentioned was the quantity of prison exercise being mentioned on the platform.
Nevertheless, Mr Durov has denied failing to cooperate with regulation enforcement over drug trafficking, little one sexual abuse content material and fraud.
The platform has additionally rejected accusations that its moderation insurance policies should not sufficiently sturdy.
Mr Musk has an extremely broad vary of tech pursuits, starting from mind implant start-up Neuralink to his rocket manufacturing agency, SpaceX.
He additionally has a distinguished position within the administration of US President Donald Trump, and campaigned closely to get him elected – one thing that analysts say is contributing to slumping sales at his finest recognized agency, electrical automobile maker Tesla.
The world’s richest man has additionally invested closely in AI.
He was a co-founder of the world’s finest recognized AI agency, OpenAI, the corporate which makes ChatGPT.
He subsequently left and have become concerned in a long-running row with OpenAI’s boss, Sam Altman, over its future route.
Earlier this 12 months, Mr Musk spearheaded a failed try to purchase it.
He has additionally been searching for to develop xAI as a rival to OpenAI and different business leaders.
In March, he announced it had purchased X, the social media platform previously referred to as Twitter, in a deal which valued xAI at $80bn (£61.8bn).
