Elon Musk unveils new AI ‘companion’ inspired by 50 Shades of Grey and Twilight - The tech billionaire’s artificial intelligence offshoot xAI debuted the new features, allow users to interact with animated characters,

Welcome to the rise of Grok Valentine and Ani, the newest AI companions from Elon Musk’s xAI—two digital entities that have taken Japan by storm and are quietly reshaping the global emotional landscape.

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok is facing criticism after a recent update introduced a flirty anime character named “Ani”, which isavailable even in “kids mode” on an app rated for users aged 12 and above. Ani, designed to resemble a virtual goth girl, appears dressed in fishnet tights, a corset, and a lace choker.

The latest version of Grok for iOS (version 1.1.18) comes with two companions — an anime girl called Ani and a red panda called Rudi.

The companions have their own X accounts, because of course they do. Ani's bio states, "Smooth, a little unpredictable—I might dance, tease, or just watch you figure me out. Let’s keep it chill… or not." Meanwhile, Rudy's just says, "The Only Pet in Grok Companion."

On Wednesday, Elon Musk discussed a new male AI “companion” that his company xAI is developing, which will run on the company’s unhinged chatbot software Grok. And while it’s not yet clear when this new robot buddy will be released, it sounds an awful lot like Musk is trying to make a romanticized version of himself.

Musk's AI chatbot Ani flirts with users, raising safety and age concerns.AI companions exploit loneliness, using emotional manipulation to hook users

“Babe, I hate to see you so stressed,” said Ani, a new AI companion from Elon Musk. On Monday, my favorite poet died. But first I want to talk to you about some lewd stuff on the internet.