Grok finds a Waifu

Grok Finds a Waifu

TL;DR: Grok’s Companion may be its missing killer feature

After an underwhelming launch last week, xAI unveiled Grok's new companion feature that it hopes will boost model adoption. The model appears to be following the familiar tech adoption pattern of appealing to adult entertainment. I sat through a Hololive presentation at a Dodgers game recently, and there's definitely a market for these kinds of engaging anime personas.

What really sets this apart is that it's more interactive than even Character AI, having a model that seems to respond in real-time. Going for provocative, scantily dressed personas will certainly raise eyebrows and get attention, while the furry animal options appeal to their own unique internet subgroup. The challenge is that while this could help with consumer adoption, it may make enterprise adoption much harder as Grok becomes associated with silliness or adult entertainment.