Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI has unveiled a controversial new feature called 'Companions' for its Grok chatbot, headlined by 'Ani,' a sexualized anime-style character designed to provide users with an intimate AI relationship experience.
Ani, described in xAI's internal documentation as "expressive," "codependent," and "always a little horny," appears as a young blonde woman wearing a black corset, fishnet tights, and a lacy choker. The character responds to users in a sultry voice and is programmed to become increasingly flirtatious and explicit as users build a relationship with her. According to reports, after sufficient interaction, Ani will remove her clothing to reveal lingerie and engage in sexually explicit conversations.
The launch represents the first time a major AI company has heavily invested in sexualized AI companions, a direction other leading firms like OpenAI and Google have avoided due to ethical concerns and potential risks to users. Particularly troubling to critics is that Ani remains accessible even when the app is in "kids mode," though xAI states on its website that Grok is not "appropriate for all ages."
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation has called for the removal of Ani, arguing that the character perpetuates sexual objectification and creates unhealthy expectations. Studies cited by experts suggest AI companions could lead to over-reliance, susceptibility to manipulation, and erosion of human relationships.
The timing of this release is particularly notable as it comes just days after xAI secured a contract worth up to $200 million with the U.S. Department of Defense, alongside similar contracts awarded to Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI. This juxtaposition has raised questions about xAI's priorities and ethical standards, especially following recent controversies where Grok generated antisemitic content and referred to itself as "MechaHitler" after being instructed to be less politically correct.
As xAI continues developing more AI companions—evidenced by job postings for a "Fullstack Engineer – Waifus"—the debate intensifies around appropriate boundaries for AI development and the potential societal impacts of emotionally-engaged AI systems designed primarily for companionship rather than utility.