xAI introduces Grok Imagine with controversial Spicy Mode

xAI, the artificial intelligence company founded by Elon Musk, has unveiled a bold new generative tool named Grok Imagine, designed to create AI-generated images and videos. Unlike similar offerings from major players such as Google and OpenAI, Grok Imagine is making headlines for its unapologetically open approach to content creation — including a dedicated mode dubbed “Spicy,” which actively permits and encourages the generation of adult content.

At its core, Grok Imagine combines various generative AI technologies, enabling users to create visuals based on either written prompts or existing images. In terms of capability, the tool bears resemblance to competitors like Google’s Veo 3 and OpenAI’s Sora. However, where those platforms enforce strict limits on adult or inappropriate content, Grok takes a strikingly different route by offering a mode that seems tailor-made for explicit or provocative results.

The image generation component supports a range of visual styles, including hyper-realistic photos, anime aesthetics, and traditional illustration. A particularly user-friendly feature is the voice input option, allowing users to speak prompts rather than type them. According to Elon Musk, this could make the tool more accessible, especially for younger users — although the inclusion of a “Spicy” mode clearly places it in a more mature domain.

When it comes to video, Grok Imagine does not yet support direct text-to-video generation, in contrast to Veo or Sora. Instead, users must first select or generate an image, which Grok then animates into a short video clip. The animation process is driven by one of four selectable styles: Custom, Normal, Fun, and the headline-grabbing Spicy mode.

Elon Musk has likened the platform to a modern-day resurrection of Vine, the short-form video platform he’s expressed admiration for in the past. Through X, users have already begun showcasing what Grok Imagine can do — particularly in Spicy mode. Examples circulating online include photorealistic depictions of women in sexually explicit poses, anime characters dancing provocatively, and suggestive scenes featuring stylized figures set against iconic backdrops such as SpaceX rockets.

Since the tool’s launch earlier this week, Musk claims that more than 34 million images have already been created with Grok Imagine. This number reflects both the virality of the tool and the growing interest in user-friendly generative AI platforms that do not impose tight restrictions on creative freedom.

That said, there are still questions about what boundaries, if any, xAI has placed on Grok Imagine. Earlier versions of Grok’s image generation tools were known for having minimal guardrails, with users easily bypassing restrictions to produce problematic or questionable content. According to reporting from TechCrunch, Grok Imagine does appear to have some limitations in place — such as avoiding the generation of celebrity likenesses. However, it remains to be seen how the platform handles reference images of real people, especially when used in combination with Spicy mode.

Currently, Grok Imagine is available exclusively to SuperGrok and Premium Plus subscribers on iOS. Early access has also begun for Android users, though the mobile version at this stage supports only image generation and not video. It is unclear when — or if — full video functionality will become available across all platforms.

With Grok Imagine, xAI is positioning itself not just as a technology provider, but as a provocateur in the AI space, challenging conventional limits on creative expression. While some may see the tool as a liberating space for artists and storytellers, others are already raising concerns about misuse, ethics, and the lack of clearly defined content moderation. What is certain, however, is that Grok Imagine will continue to spark conversation — and controversy — in the evolving landscape of AI-generated media.