Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, launched Grok 3, claiming it to be the “smartest AI on Earth.”
After months of delay, Elon Musk’s xAI finally launched its newest AI model, Grok 3—packed with new features and capabilities. Basically, Grok did a speed run to catch up or even surpass other AI models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. Musk even boldly claims it to be the “Smartest AI on Earth.” So, what’s new in Grok 3, and does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive in.
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Now, Grok can better analyze images and tackle more complex problems, especially in math and coding. During a livestream, Musk said Grok 3 is “maximally truth-seeking,” meaning it provides honest answers, even if they are controversial.
Grok 3 isn’t just one model—it’s a family just like other AI models from Gemini and ChatGPT. Alongside the main version, there isGrok 3 Mini, which responds faster but may trade off some accuracy. The main version beats almost all other AI models in benchmarks, surpassing OpenAI’s 4o, Gemini 2.0 Pro,DeepSeek V3, and evenClaude 3.5 Sonnet. Meanwhile, the Mini model performs on par with these top-tier models. Both models also performed well in Chatbot Arena, where users vote on AI model responses.
Musk says Grok 3 was built with ten times more computing power than its predecessor, Grok 2. The model was trained using 200,000 GPUs in a massive Memphis data center and learned from an expanded dataset, including court filings.
Grok 3 Reasoning Models
Along with the mainstream Grok 3 models, xAI also introduced reasoning models—Grok 3 ReasoningandGrok 3 Mini Reasoning. In simple terms, a reasoning model is an AI model that solves problems step-by-step, taking its time to reach a more logically accurate answer.
These reasoning models are designed to tackle tricky problems in math, science, and coding by fact-checking their answers more carefully. Users can access the Grok 3 reasoning model by selectingThinkmode. Additionally, there is a specialBig Brainmode for extra-detailed reasoning on tough questions.
Even the Grok 3 reasoning models surpass all other AI reasoning models in benchmarks. Interestingly, Grok 3 Mini Reasoning performed better than Grok 3 Reasoning. However, the company claims that Grok 3 Reasoning was trained for less time comparatively and has a high potential to improve in future updates. In the demo, the model was able to calculate the spacecraft travel from Earth to Mars and even created games by combining two games.
While Grok lets users check its reasoning process, the company says it performs additional reasoning in the background that it does not show. This is to protect Grok 3’s reasoning process from being copied by competitors, following recent controversies where the Chinese companyDeepSeekwas accused of copying OpenAI’s models.
DeepSearch
Along with their new AI models and reasoning models, xAI also introduced their first AI agent—DeepSearch. This feature is similar to the Deep Research option onChatGPTandGemini. When you enter a research question, instead of providing information from just a few sources, DeepSearch searches dozens or even hundreds of sources to deliver a more detailed report. Rather than performing only a surface-level search, it digs deeper, continuously searching for more information based on what it finds online.
You can use this by just selecting the DeepSearch mode on the Grok. Similar to the reasoning model, you can see the thought process of the AI model with DeepSearch.
Get Started With Grok 3
Musk announced that Grok 3 would soon get a voice mode, allowing users to interact through spoken conversations. In the coming weeks, the model will also become available to businesses through xAI’s enterprise API. Additionally, once Grok 3 is stable, xAI plans to open-source Grok 2.
When Musk first introduced Grok two years ago, he promised it would be more direct and less filtered than other AI models. Grok and Grok 2 were known for giving raw, sometimes edgy responses but struggled with political topics, often showing a left-leaning bias. Musk blamed the training data and vowed to shift Grok closer to neutrality. Whether Grok 3 achieves this remains to be seen.
Ravi Teja KNTS
Tech writer with over 4 years of experience at TechWiser, where he has authored more than 700 articles on AI, Google apps, Chrome OS, Discord, and Android. His journey started with a passion for discussing technology and helping others in online forums, which naturally grew into a career in tech journalism. Ravi’s writing focuses on simplifying technology, making it accessible and jargon-free for readers. When he’s not breaking down the latest tech, he’s often immersed in a classic film – a true cinephile at heart.
