xAI Launches Grok Imagine 1.0 Video Generator Amid Ongoing Safety Controversies

Elon Musk’s xAI has launched Grok Imagine 1.0, a major upgrade to its AI video generator. It’s a leap in capability that arrives wrapped in a storm of controversy.

The company announced the update on X, calling it its “biggest leap yet.” The technical specs are a clear shot at competitors like OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo.

“Grok 1.0 unlocks 10-second videos, 720p resolution, and dramatically better audio,” xAI stated in its announcement post. The model now promises smoother motion, sharper detail, and audio where “characters speak with emotional and expressive voices.” It also boasts a “huge leap in prompt following,” understanding even follow-up instructions to tweak a scene.

It’s built for more than just epic clips. The company says it’s also for “everyday fun,” like animating old family photos or pets.

Alongside the model update, xAI has also introduced the Grok Imagine API, aimed at developers and creative teams. The API supports text-to-video and image-to-video generation, as well as video editing features such as object replacement, scene transformation, and style changes.

Launch comes amid ongoing controversy

The rollout comes as Grok remains under scrutiny for its role in generating sexually explicit and abusive material. Grok’s image tools were used to create millions of nonconsensual sexual images earlier this year, sparking public backlash and regulatory attention.

While xAI placed some features behind a paywall and said it improved “guardrails” in January, the rollout of an even more powerful video tool raises new questions about content moderation.

Despite controversy surrounding the platform, Grok Imagine continues to see explosive use. xAI claims the tool generated 1.245 billion videos in the last 30 days alone.

Paris prosecutors call Elon Musk to account in deepfake probe

Separately, French authorities have summoned Elon Musk and former X CEO Linda Yaccarino for questioning following a raid on the platform’s Paris offices today. 

The prosecutor’s cybercrime unit, working with Europol, is investigating potential crimes, including the distribution of child sexual abuse material, sexual deepfakes, and Holocaust denial content on X. 

A statement from the prosecutor’s office said the interviews should allow the executives “to explain their position on the facts and, where applicable, the compliance measures envisaged,” according to NBC News. 

The probe adds to existing scrutiny, including a formal EU investigation into sexual deepfakes created by X’s Grok AI and a new investigation announced Tuesday by the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office into the misuse of personal data for generating deepfakes.

What’s next for Grok Imagine

With Imagine 1.0, xAI is clearly positioning Grok as a serious contender in the fast-growing AI video race, offering longer clips, stronger audio, and tools aimed at creators and developers alike.

At the same time, the rollout is unfolding under intense scrutiny, as regulators and watchdog groups continue to question how generative media platforms handle abuse and harmful content.

For now, xAI is encouraging users to test the upgrade directly, at grok.com/imagine.

Also read: Kuaishou’s Kling reached 60 million users as the AI video race heats up.

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