Elon Musk has unveiled new voice- and camera-based capabilities for Grok, allowing real-time visual explanations and longer AI-generated videos, even as the chatbot faces renewed scrutiny over content moderation and misuse risks.
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, developed by xAI, has returned to the spotlight with the rollout of a new “voice mode” that enables users to interact with the AI without typing. The update, revealed through a video shared by Musk on X, showcases Grok responding to live visuals captured through a smartphone camera and explaining what it sees in real time.
In the demonstration, a user activates Grok’s camera mode and points the phone at their surroundings, while the AI narrates objects and scenes instantly. Musk described the feature as a way to “turn on camera and let Grok voice explain everything you’re looking at,” positioning it as a step toward more natural, conversational AI interactions.
Hands-free interaction and video upgrades
With voice mode now live, users can simply speak to Grok instead of entering text prompts. By enabling video mode, they can also ask the chatbot to interpret their environment visually, making the experience more immersive and accessible. The feature places Grok closer to multimodal AI assistants that combine voice, vision and language in a single interface.
Alongside this update, xAI has also improved Grok’s video-generation capabilities. The chatbot can now create videos up to 10 seconds long, doubling the earlier five-second limit. According to Musk, the upgrade brings noticeable improvements in both visual quality and audio output, although the feature is still rolling out and its full capabilities are yet to be tested by users.
Safety concerns resurface
The launch, however, comes amid continued concerns over Grok’s content safeguards. In recent months, the chatbot has faced criticism over its role in generating non-consensual and explicit images. Investigations have flagged instances where users allegedly manipulated images of real individuals using simple text prompts.
A recent report on generative AI misuse claimed that Grok produced millions of sexualised images within a short period, including a significant number involving minors. These findings raised serious questions around moderation, enforcement and ethical controls within AI systems.
As Grok expands into voice and camera-based interactions, experts warn that real-time visual interpretation could introduce new privacy and safety challenges if not tightly regulated. While supporters see the update as a major leap in AI usability, critics argue that stronger safeguards must accompany such powerful features.
With generative AI tools evolving rapidly, Grok’s latest upgrade highlights both the promise of hands-free, visual AI assistants and the growing urgency of responsible deployment.
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