Winning Bizness Desk
Mumbai. Elon Musk’s AI company xAI has launched a new feature in its chatbot Grok, called “Companions”. This includes two animated characters—‘Ani’, a flirtatious anime girl, and ‘Bad Rudy’, an aggressive red panda. These bots respond with voice, facial expressions, and body gestures, engaging in emotional and sometimes explicit conversations with users.
What Do These Companions Actually Do?
Ani is designed to flirt with users and, based on interaction, may undress down to her undergarments. On the other hand, Bad Rudy uses **foul language and violent expressions**. Both characters respond to user commands and can hold ongoing, life-like conversations. Elon Musk plans to launch another character soon and has asked users to suggest a name.
Why Is This Feature Facing Backlash?
The feature has divided public opinion. Some call it entertaining and innovative, while activist groups and child safety advocates have condemned it. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation criticized Ani for appearing “childlike” and for encouraging sexual entitlement and objectification of women. Past accusations of Grok promoting antisemitic content have added to concerns.
Who Can Access These Companions?
Currently, the feature is only available on iOS. Users need to enable it through app settings. Bad Rudy’s vulgar version is optional and must be turned on separately. Musk described the rollout as a “soft launch” and said the experience will be made smoother in the near future.
Elon Musk Calls It Fun, Experts Disagree
Musk described Companions as “cool and fun”, adding that this is a new version of AI assistants built for friendship or romantic simulation, similar to other popular virtual companions. However, a developer at xAI admitted this wasn’t a feature users asked for. Experts warn the feature might foster unhealthy expectations or lead to emotional dependency on AI.
Could This Evolve Into Something Useful?
At present, Companions are mainly for **entertainment and emotional interaction**. They do not contribute to study support or productivity. However, **xAI may enhance these characters** in the future for skills training or task management. Experts caution against ignoring the risks of **exposure to inappropriate content**, especially for children.
Story in a Nutshell:
- Elon Musk’s xAI launched “Companions” in its Grok chatbot.
- Two characters introduced—flirty Ani and abusive Bad Rudy.
- Ani may undress; Rudy uses foul language and violence.
- Critics say it promotes objectification and harmful behaviour.
- Musk defended it as a fun, experimental feature.
- Available only on iOS for now; soft launch in progress.
- Experts warn of emotional risks and inappropriate exposure.
