Conflicting statements from tech leaders Elon Musk and Pavel Durov have cast uncertainty over reports of a partnership between Musk’s AI startup xAI and messaging giant Telegram involving the Grok chatbot.
On Wednesday night, reports emerged claiming that xAI and Telegram had signed a one-year agreement to integrate Grok into Telegram’s platform. The reported terms included a $300 million package in cash and stock paid to Telegram, along with a 50% revenue share from Grok subscriptions sold through the app.
However, Elon Musk swiftly denied the reports. “No deal has been signed,” Musk stated in a late-night post on X, pushing back against claims of a finalized agreement.
In response, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov clarified the situation: “True. Agreed in principle, but formalities are pending.”
His comments suggest that while the deal has been conceptually approved, the legal and contractual paperwork has yet to be finalized.
The clarification follows growing speculation about the integration of Grok into Telegram, which would mark a significant expansion for xAI as it competes in the rapidly evolving AI chatbot space.
The mixed signals underscore the complexities of high-stakes tech partnerships and the importance of formal agreements, especially when public companies and large sums of capital are involved.
For now, both sides appear aligned in spirit—though not yet on paper.
Kosta Gushterov
Reporter at Coindoo
Kosta has been a part of the team since 2021 and has solidified his position with a thirst for knowledge, incredible dedication to his work and a “detective-like” mindset. He not only covers a wide range of trending topics, he also creates reviews, PR articles and educational content. His work has also been referenced by other news outlets.
Source: https://coindoo.com/musk-denies-telegram-deal-as-durov-confirms-talks-are-ongoing/