xAI has broadened access to its latest artificial intelligence model, Grok 4, by making it available to all users as of Sunday. Previously exclusive to paid subscribers, this expansion allows free-tier users to utilize both the Auto and Expert modes of Grok 4. The Heavy mode, however, remains accessible only to SuperGrok Heavy subscribers. This development follows closely on the heels of OpenAI’s recent rollout of its GPT-5 AI model to all registered users.
Grok 4 Is Now Available to All Users
The official xAI account announced the global availability of Grok 4 in a post on X (formerly Twitter). The company noted that for a limited time, free-tier users will benefit from “generous usage limits” to explore its latest large language model. This announcement arrives just days after xAI owner Elon Musk made the Grok Imagine video generation feature available at no cost to all users in the United States.
Users on the free tier can access Grok 4’s Auto and Expert modes
So, what options are available for those who have not subscribed to either the SuperGrok or X Premium plans? Free-tier users will have access to Grok 4’s Auto and Expert modes. The Auto mode automatically assesses whether a prompt requires additional reasoning for a more comprehensive response or if a quicker approach suffices. The Expert mode allows users to manually activate the reasoning feature when the default response does not meet their expectations.
Free users will miss out on accessing Grok 4 Heavy, which is the most powerful model in the series. They will also be unable to use Grok Imagine’s image and video generation features unless they are based in the US. Meanwhile, paid subscribers will continue to enjoy increased rate limits across all models and features.
In a recent discussion on Spaces, Musk revealed intentions to introduce advertisements within Grok’s interface on both the website and mobile applications. Currently, the chatbot has no revenue streams besides subscriptions and application programming interfaces (APIs), making ad integration a new focus for financial support. Musk indicated that funding is essential to cover the high costs of the GPUs powering Grok.
According to Musk, the ads will be embedded within Grok’s answers and suggestions, though he did not clarify whether these advertisements would be clearly labeled for users.
