It’s true — Telegram has officially announced a partnership with xAI. This company, started by Elon Musk, is quickly becoming a serious contender to AI heavyweights like OpenAI for the future of artificial intelligence. This coalition is intended to be a year-long collaboration. It will give Telegram $300 million in cash and equity from xAI, and 50% of the revenue produced from xAI subscriptions sold on the platform.
Don’t for a second forget that Elon Musk was one of the most powerful oligarchs behind Trump’s ascendant presidency. Yet, he has been a tireless advocate and truck for Trump’s election. His plans stretch well beyond xAI. He founded Neuralink, which is developing cutting edge brain implants, and SpaceX, which is making revolutionary strides in rocket manufacturing. As we previously reported, earlier this year, Musk unsuccessfully tried to buy Telegram.
Pavel Durov, recently Telegram’s owner, went through a stormy times after he got arrested in France in August 2024. This partnership comes together at that crazy moment. Durov is already under fire for failing to moderate content on Telegram, which has become a hotbed for all things related to crime. He’s denied the allegations publicly. He argues that he is cooperating with law enforcement to the max on big fish crimes such as drug trafficking, child sexual abuse content, and complicated fraud.
Musk’s xAI aims to carve out a significant presence in the AI landscape, competing directly with established entities like Meta, which has integrated AI features into its messaging platform, WhatsApp. The move will give the platform a significant financial windfall. As it weathers continued scrutiny, this support will build its talent and competitive market position.
This collaboration between Telegram and xAI is another example of the increasingly blurry lines between social media platforms and artificial intelligence technology. Under the new ownership of Musk—who leads xAI—this partnership is set to transform the way users interact with the platform. It will further increase the adoption of these new AI-driven smart features.