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Telegram is set to be empowered by AI technology after the encrypted messaging platform announced a new partnership with Elon Musk’s xAI.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov announced that the company had entered a one-year agreement with xAI to integrate Grok into its messaging platform.
“This summer, Telegram users will gain access to the best AI technology on the market. [Elon Musk] and I have agreed to a one-year partnership to bring xAI’s [Grok] to our billion+ users and integrate it across all Telegram apps,” said Durov.
xAI is paying a pretty penny to integrate Grok in Telegram, with the company receiving a mix of cash, equity, and a cut of all xAI subscriptions sold via Telegram.
“This also strengthens Telegram’s financial position: we will receive $300 million in cash and equity from xAI, plus 50 per cent of the revenue from xAI subscriptions sold via Telegram,” added Durov.
However, it seems that Durov has jumped the gun on his announcement, with Elon Musk tweeting: “No deal has been signed.”
Durov quickly confirmed this, adding: “True. Agreed in principle, but formalities are pending.”
If or when the deal does finalise, what will Grok’s implementation in Telegram look like? At this stage, neither xAI or Telegram has revealed how it would work, but it is believed that the technology could assist with message drafting, bolster information search and more.
The partnership is also gearing Telegram to compete with WhatsApp, which has now been bolstered by Meta AI.
The partnership comes not long after the Telegram CEO was in hot water for not managing the behaviour on his platform.
Durov was arrested and indicted for a lack of moderation and a lax attitude towards criminal activity on Telegram.
Despite the charges, Durov was released from custody with €5 million bail.
Durov is expected to remain in France, however, and must report to police twice each week.
According to a 26 August 2024 statement from the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office, Durov was initially detained over the weekend following an 8 July judicial investigation based on the following 12 charges:
Complicity – web-mastering an online platform in order to enable an illegal transaction in organised group.
Refusal to communicate, at the request of competent authorities, information or documents necessary for carrying out and operating interceptions allowed by law.
Complicity – possessing pornographic images of minors.
Complicity – distributing, offering or making available pornographic images of minors, in organised group.
Complicity – acquiring, transporting, possessing, offering or selling narcotic substances.
Complicity – offering, selling or making available, without legitimate reason, equipment, tools, programs or data designed for or adapted to get access to and to damage the operation of an automated data processing system.
Complicity – organised fraud.
Criminal association with a view to committing a crime or an offence punishable by five or more years of imprisonment.
Laundering of the proceeds derived from organised group’s offences and crimes.
Providing cryptology services aiming to ensure confidentiality without certified declaration.
Providing a cryptology tool not solely ensuring authentication or integrity monitoring without prior declaration.
Importing a cryptology tool ensuring authentication or integrity monitoring without prior declaration.
According to Politico Europe, six charges were been officially laid against Durov, including “managing an online platform ‘in order to enable an illegal transaction in organised group,’ and refusal to cooperate with law enforcement authorities”.
Despite the legal battles, Telegram’s wallet is looking healthy. Despite facing a US$173 million loss in 2023, by 2024, they had made a US$540 million profit from US$1 billion in revenue. For 2025, the company forecasts an over US$700 million profit from US$2 billion in revenue.
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