In a move to accelerate its growth in the competitive generative AI landscape, Elon Musk's xAI has finally launched its Grok API, allowing developers to tap into the power of its flagship AI model. However, the initial rollout has been met with some disappointment, as the API currently only offers a single, bare-bones model, "grok-beta," with limited functionality.

Priced at $5 per million input tokens or $15 per million output tokens, the Grok API supports function calling, enabling connections to external tools like databases and search engines. While the documentation hints at future vision models capable of analyzing both text and images, these features are not yet live.

The launch of the Grok API marks a significant step for xAI, which raised $6 billion in funding earlier this year. Musk's startup is racing to catch up with rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic, and the Grok API is seen as a key component in xAI's strategy to leverage its access to vast amounts of data from Musk's various companies, including Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Company.

Despite the excitement surrounding the launch, some users have reported issues with paying for usage credits, and the lack of clarity around which Grok model "grok-beta" represents has sparked confusion. As xAI continues to evolve and expand its offerings, it remains to be seen whether the startup can overcome these initial hurdles and fulfill its ambitious vision.