Elon Musk’s AI venture, xAI, has officially enhanced its API with new image generation capabilities, a move aimed at expanding its technological offerings in the competitive AI landscape.
Currently, the API features a single model, “grok-2-image-1212,” which can produce up to 10 JPEG images per request, with a processing limit of five requests per second. Each image costs $0.07, making it a cost-effective option for developers and businesses.
Competitive Pricing and Comparison
- xAI’s Pricing: $0.07 per image
- Black Forest Labs: Approximately $0.05 per image
- Ideogram: Up to $0.08 per image
Despite its promising capabilities, xAI’s API lacks options for customizing image quality, size, or style at this time. Additionally, the prompts submitted for image creation may undergo modifications by a “chat model” before being processed.
Launched in October 2024, xAI’s API appears to be part of a broader strategy to secure significant revenue streams as the company develops its flagship models, including Grok 3. The firm is actively engaged with investors to explore a potential funding round estimated at $10 billion, potentially elevating its valuation to $75 billion.
In line with its growth aspirations, xAI has also acquired a generative AI video startup and is expanding its Memphis-based data center, which plays a crucial role in training and deploying its models. This strategic positioning may help xAI solidify its presence in the rapidly evolving AI sector.
