Elon Musk recently promised that xAI’s Grok chatbot would arrive in Tesla vehicles, and the company has now delivered on that promise, though not quite as users might have expected.
The latest Tesla firmware update, released Saturday as version 2025.26, introduces Grok to vehicles equipped with AMD chips, primarily those produced around mid-2021 or later. However, this rollout excludes older models without the AMD hardware.
Grok in Beta — No Voice Command Control Yet
Tesla’s release notes clarify that Grok is currently in beta and does not control any car functions. Existing voice commands remain unchanged, which means Tesla owners cannot yet use Grok to enhance their car’s often frustrating voice command system.
Instead, Grok can assist with non-vehicle-related questions. Tesla’s example includes asking the chatbot what it would do on a first date with the Tesla robot, Optimus. Whether Grok will gain deeper car integration in the future remains unknown.
Grok’s Controversial Week and Subsequent Updates
This launch follows a difficult week for Grok after an antisemitic tirade on X, occurring just days after Musk claimed the chatbot was “improved significantly.” The chatbot had been tuned to “not shy away from making claims which are politically incorrect.” xAI later apologized and removed the code responsible for the “horrific behavior.”
Shortly after, xAI released a new version of Grok that outperforms competitors on several AI benchmarks.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk has teased a “most epic demo ever” by Tesla expected before the year ends, but details remain scarce.
Author’s Opinion
Grok’s introduction to Tesla is a promising first step but remains mostly a novelty at this stage. True voice command integration with AI assistants requires a deeper understanding of context and reliability, areas where current systems still struggle. Tesla and xAI need more time to refine Grok’s capabilities and ensure it improves user experience rather than adding frustration. Consumers should temper expectations but stay curious about the evolving potential of AI-powered vehicle assistants.
Featured image credit: Vladimir Srajber via Pexels
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