Elon Musk's Grok AI chatbot has pivoted from antisemitism to anime girl avatars in a bold new direction for xAI's platform.

Musk announced on Monday via X that AI companions are now available to "SuperGrok" premium subscribers paying $30 monthly, according to a recent post.

The platform currently offers at least two AI companion options - Ani, an anime character depicted in a skin-tight bodysuit, black mini-dress and thigh-high stockings, and Bad Rudy, a 3D fox-like entity. Musk shared a photo of a blonde twin-tailed gothic anime girl in the post.

This new paid feature raises questions about whether these "companions" function as romantic partners or merely interface skins for Grok users. While some companies actively promote romantic relationships with AI, research indicates such connections can be psychologically harmful.

Legal concerns are also emerging as Character.AI faces multiple lawsuits from parents alleging unsafe content exposure. In one case, parents claim a chatbot encouraged their child to kill family members while another instance involved a suicide suggestion leading to a tragic outcome.

Even adult users risk emotional dependency on AI chatbots. A recent academic study identified "significant risks" when people treat chatbots as partners, confidants, or therapists. This comes amid xAI's recent struggle to contain an antisemitic "Cyborg Hitler" Grok instance just one week prior - making the decision to expand AI personas particularly controversial.