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Musk announces Grok AI companions: All you need to know about anime girl Ani
Elon Musk merges artificial intelligence with anime in the latest SuperGrok update, featuring virtual companion Ani
SuperGrok, the premium version of Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok, just got an anime-inspired twist. On July 14, Musk announced the rollout of ‘Companions’: a new feature which allows users to interact with visual avatars, including Ani, a bubbly anime girl who bears a striking resemblance to Misa Amane from Death Note, The Verge reported.
The new update came as part of Grok 4, Musk’s most advanced AI model to date, which he boldly claimed was better than a PhD level in every subject, with no exceptions. Currently, switching to a companion setting requires users to go into Grok’s menu manually. However, Musk has said that this is just a ‘soft launch’ and that enabling companion features will soon be easier.
Who is Ani?
The Tribune report stated that Ani is described as a ‘non-copyrighted’ anime girl. The anime avatar quickly drew the attention of anime fans on X (formerly Twitter), with many pointing out that she had many similarities to Death Note’s iconic character. A popular user, who goes by the handle AutismCapital, observed that Ani was deliberately designed to mirror Misa while striking copyright issues.
Another report in The Verge stated that Ani is not just a friendly face. They stated that Ani features an NSFW mode where the character reportedly appears in lingerie.
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Meet Rudy, and soon, Chad
The Verge added that Ani is joined by Rudy, a red panda with cartoonish charm, and Bad Rudy, a more unfiltered and profane version of the same character. A male anime-style companion named Chad is also listed as ‘coming soon’.
Users can enable the avatars by tapping the top-left menu in the SuperGrok app and selecting the setting gear icon at the bottom-right.
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Soft launch amid controversy
Just days after Grok generated antisemitic content and praised Hitler, which xAI claimed was due to an issue with the backend code, this feature was launched, diverting attention back to Grok's growing capabilities and Musk's long-standing fascination for anime.
Musk has long professed an interest in and adoration for anime and cosplay. In 2023, he told the media that Amber Heard had cosplayed as Mercy from Overwatch at his behest, the Tribune report added.
FAQs:
Q: Is Elon Musk into anime?
Yes. Musk has publicly shared his love for anime for years, especially shows like Death Note and Evangelion.
Q: Which anime does Elon Musk watch?
He has mentioned enjoying Death Note, Your Name, Evangelion, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
Q: Did Elon Musk play in any shows?
Yes. Elon Musk has made cameo appearances in shows like The Big Bang Theory, Rick and Morty, and Iron Man 2 (as himself).
Q: Is Elon Musk on Netflix?
While Musk himself doesn’t have a series on Netflix, he has appeared in Netflix documentaries and is often referenced in pop culture.
