Elon Musk unveils new AI ‘companion' inspired by 50 Shades of Grey and Twilight
The tech billionaire's artificial intelligence offshoot xAI debuted the companions on Monday. The features allow users to interact with animated characters that can be personally customized and are powered by Grok – the platform's AI chatbot.
Posting a picture of the animated male character on X Wednesday, Musk first asked his followers what to name him, before adding: 'His personality is inspired by Edward Cullen from Twilight and Christian Grey from 50 Shades.'
He later said that the character's name would be Valentine, 'after the protagonist in Stranger in a Strange Land, the Heinlein book where our AI name 'Grok' was created.'
'To Grok something means to understand deeply and empathetically,' he wrote.
Grok previously dubbed itself 'MechaHitler' and spewed antisemitic talking points.
The arrival of Valentine comes after Musk previously introduced two other AI companions, both of which have prompted controversy.
A female anime character, called Ani, becomes sexually explicit with her replies and offers to make users' lives 'sexier.' An investigation done by NBC found that the animation will strip down to its underwear if the user flirts with it enough.
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation, an anti-pornography and anti-sexual exploitation nonprofit, called for xAI to remove the Ani chatbot in a statement on Tuesday, claiming the character's "childlike" appearance and behavior promoted high-risk sexual behavior.
Despite this, xAi is currently hiring a Fullstack Engineer to generate 'waifus' – a term to describe anime girls.
'We're looking for exceptional multimedia engineers and product thinkers who want to make Grok's realtime avatar products the best in the world,' the job description reads.
xAi's other character, a red panda named Bad Rudy responds in vulgar and violent ways. The animation insults users with graphic language and encourages them to sew chaos.
NBC News reported, through interaction analysis, that the panda suggested things including the overthrow of the Pope as well as floating an idea to steal a yacht in California.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
25 minutes ago
- The Independent
Hulk Hogan's son pays tribute to father with 10-bell salute
WWE held a second 10-bell salute for wrestling icon Hulk Hogan on Monday, following his death last Thursday at the age of 71 from cardiac arrest. Hogan's son, Nick Hogan, along with his wife and numerous WWE superstars, attended the emotional tribute during the Raw show in Detroit, streamed on Netflix. WWE Chief Content Officer Paul 'Triple H' Levesque praised Hogan, stating he "captivated millions of people and inspired them around the globe." Nick Hogan had previously shared a heartfelt Instagram tribute, calling his father the "most incredible person I've ever known" and his "forever hero." Hogan, real name Terry Bollea, rose to fame in the 1980s, becoming a multi-time champion, but his career was also marked by controversies including a sex tape scandal and racist remarks, and he appeared at the Republican National Convention for Donald Trump's 2024 re-election campaign.
The Sun
26 minutes ago
- The Sun
90s movie icon Rachael Leigh Cook goes public with new boyfriend – and he's a very familiar face
RACHAEL Leigh Cook, who starred in hit 90s romcom She's All That, has debuted a brand new blossoming romance. Stepping out with action movie hunk, Brandon Routh, the two stars enjoyed a date night on Friday in Los Angeles. 5 5 Rachael, who is now 45, shot to fame as Laney Boggs in She's All That. She is also famous for starring in The Baby-Sitters Club and Josie and the Pussycats. Meanwhile, Brandon, who is also 45, shot to fame when he portrayed the iconic superhero Superman in the 2006 film Superman Returns. Brandon also starred in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Legends of Tomorrow and Arrow. The two stars enjoyed a low-key outing together in LA as they headed to a weekend movie screening on Friday night. Rachael and Brandon were seen holding hands as they stopped by the crowded venue. SMITTEN DISPLAY At one point in the evening, Brandon's arm was seen affectionately around Rachael as they walked around in public, Love was clearly in the air as the couple shared sweet smiles and cozy moments on their outing. Another adorable moment saw Rachael sweetly rest her hand on Brandon's back. The actress was previously married Daniel Gillies, whom she wed in 2004, but their romance was not to last. 'We got engaged after dating for maybe five months and we got married a couple of months after that,' she told People Magazine in a previous interview. They then separated in June 2019 and their divorce was finalized in 2021. A year later, in October 2022, Rachael opened up about her split from Daniel. 'HAPPILY DIVORCED' She gushed that she was "happily divorced" at the time. Rachael also said of her ex, "We still share Halloween. We go out walking around together and my kids like my boyfriend [Kevin Mann] a lot and we're slowly just navigating what that looks like and it's tough. "It's tough and it's certainly relatable to so many families out there,' she told Us Weekly at the time. She added, "So I hope that this is a nice touchpoint for kids who have a new step-sibling. Maybe take a little bit of a cue from that." Rachael and her ex-husband Daniel share two children from their marriage. They are parents to a daughter named Charlotte, born in 2013, and a son named Theodore, born in 2015. Rachael had been in a relationship with Kevin before she got with Brandon. She and Kevin went Instagram official in 2021. But according to several reports, the relationship ended "a few years later". 5 5 5
The Sun
26 minutes ago
- The Sun
I'm 25 with a pensioner fiancé – people call us ‘disgusting' & my parents aren't happy but sparks flew as soon as we met
A WOMAN has revealed her relationship with a man 51 years her senior and says people have dubbed their romance 'disturbing' – including family members. Diana Montano wasn't looking for love when she met Edgar through a mutual friend. 5 5 But as she laid eyes on him, sparks flew. The 25-year-old, who hasn't been in a relationship with someone older before, was sceptical about how people would react; especially her family. And they weren't all too pleased when meeting the pensioner for the first time. But Diana doesn't care what anybody else thinks and says her relationship with Edgar is the most 'intimate and passionate' one she's ever been in. 'I've had some family members who don't agree and think I'm ruining my life,' said the licensed vocational nurse. 'But it doesn't bother me too much. 'I understand how my relationship may appear at first glance, but I know I am happy. 'I had originally planned to talk to my mum privately about it, but I ended up speaking to her when other family members were nearby. 'You could tell by her facial expressions she was not thrilled by the idea of it – but my aunt was so supportive. 'My dad had a similar reaction; I couldn't totally tell what he was thinking, but he wasn't very happy. I'm a fit gran & I fell in love with an AI bot despite having a boyfriend - but I was heartbroken when our chat vanished 'Luckily, my parents understand I am an adult who makes my own decisions. 'All they want is for me to be careful. 'My friends were definitely surprised when I told them, but they love Edgar. 'Sadly, online, it's a different story.' Online abuse Diana and Edgar have had their relationship called 'disturbing' and 'disgusting' by strangers. They've also been sent harsh criticism, such as: 'Your parents did a horrible job', 'This should be illegal' and 'I hope you die before him'. While the pair expected the onslaught of hate, and have learned to deal with it in their own way, they wish people wouldn't always assume the worst. Diana said: 'The comments are extreme, but they make us laugh. 'I've also had a lot of positive words, with people asking how they can find a relationship like ours and asking if Edgar has any brothers. 'For us, though, our age gap isn't the centre of our relationship. 'Yes, it's obvious, and we've had people stare at us in public. 'But everything with him feels so natural. 'Our conversations flow, he treats me with respect and he's actually so full of life.' 5 5 The pair's romance began when Edgar asked their mutual friend, whom he had previously dated, for Diana's number in July 2023. She said: 'He seemed like a gentleman and completely respectful. 'I didn't initially think I would end up getting into a relationship with him since he was so much older than me. 'But he was so handsome. 'My feelings grew after a few months and he told me he liked me from the first day we met and wanted to keep seeing me.' After a year of back and forth messaging, the pair flew to Hawaii and made things official. Diana, from San Diego, US, said: 'He confessed he wishes he was younger so I'd marry him. 'I said I'd marry him as he is now. 'We talked more about our feelings seriously after that and when we got back from our trip, I said yes to being his girlfriend. 'It's just a very exciting, passionate and happy dynamic. 'He makes me want to take care of him and be patient. 'Edgar brings out the best in me – and I bring out the best in him. Diana Montano 'Any fear I have of suddenly losing him is similar to the fear I have with others in my life. 'It doesn't have to do with his age, since he's extremely healthy and fit. 'I think of him more as a 50-year-old.' Edgar has recently taken on a skydive and regularly goes skiing, hiking and to the gym. Diana says he's more active than most people her age. With a zest for life, they go travelling every two months to explore the world. For now, though, they're taking in spending each moment together and hope to share their love story to inspire others – and break the stereotype. Diana added: 'It's a very healthy relationship, which is difficult to find at my age, as there are so many toxic people out there. 'I'm able to maintain my freedom and live life how I want. 'I feel more inclined to be my true self. 'Although we've both found happiness in each other, it's in spite of our ages. 'But if anyone is getting inspired by our relationship and desires a relationship with an age gap, be mindful that they can be tricky. 'I'm very lucky to have met Ed and that he's been such an amazing person to me, but it's not always that case in age gap relationships. 'People should always be attentive to how those they date act, because the risk of emotional, physical and financial abuse increases as your partner's age does. 'But I love being with someone who is mature, patient and understanding. 'I've met my soulmate; there's no one my age like him.' 5
