Telegram Announces $300 Million Partnership with Musk
Secures 50% of xAI Subscription Revenue
Telegram Surpasses 1 Billion Users
Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, announced on May 28 (local time) that he had agreed to collaborate with Elon Musk's artificial intelligence (AI) startup xAI. However, CEO Musk drew a line, stating that "no deal has been signed."
On the morning of the same day, CEO Durov wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account, "This summer, Telegram users will gain access to the best AI technology on the market," and added, "Elon Musk and I have agreed to a one-year partnership to bring xAI's Grok to our more than 1 billion users and integrate it into all Telegram apps."
He continued, "This will strengthen Telegram's financial position," and added, "We will receive $300 million in cash and stock from xAI, as well as 50% of xAI subscription revenue sold through Telegram."
Subsequently, CEO Musk replied under CEO Durov's X post, stating, "No deal has been signed." This is interpreted as an attempt to clarify that no official agreement has been reached yet and to rein in CEO Durov's public statements, as Durov appeared to have moved ahead of the process.
In response, CEO Durov replied to Musk's comment, "That's correct. We have agreed on the principles, but the formalities remain."
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Telegram surpassed 1 billion monthly active users (MAU) in 2025 and is planning to issue bonds worth $1.5 billion. Telegram is known to be primarily used by government and military authorities in regions such as Russia and Ukraine.
Currently, CEO Durov is under investigation in France on allegations of facilitating criminal activities on Telegram, including drug trafficking, fraud, and the distribution of child sexual abuse material. In response, Telegram stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that "we strictly comply with European Union law, and Durov has nothing to hide."
Meanwhile, xAI's chatbot "Grok" became embroiled in controversy earlier this month after mentioning the sensitive topic of "white genocide" in South Africa, regardless of user questions.
Regarding this, xAI explained, "The cause was an unauthorized modification that violated our internal policies and core values," and added, "We have completed a thorough investigation and are implementing measures to enhance Grok's transparency and reliability."
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