xAI’s Grok Now Lets Users Turn Any Image Into a Video

After xAI rolled out the new Grok Imagine AI image and video generator last week, which included a “spicy mode that can do nudity,” a fresh update was released this weekend, allowing users to turn any image into a video.

Firmly in the ‘just because they can, doesn’t neccessarily mean they should’ category, the new feature turns any still image into a short video in seconds by simply long-pressing on the picture and then tapping “Make Video with Grok.”

Naturally, users immediately began clowning around with the feature bringing old photos to life, such as one of X’s owner Elon Musk when he was studying at the University of Pennsylvania — photos that were taken by his ex-girlfriend who later sold them at auction.

Users can also add a prompt to make something specific happen, such as a “Dancing Astronaut,” see below. The feature has been rolled out to iOS, Musk adds that “Android is coming soon.”

The feature is similar to the one Midjourney launched earlier this summer which also animates still images into short video clips. While not all photographers will be happy that their photos are going to be randomly brought to life, some users see a benefit to the Harry Potter-esque technology.

Grok Imagine was only launched last week and there was immediate concern over the company’s lax guardrails. The Verge reported that it got Grok to create deepfake nudes of singer Taylor Swift, labeling it a “lawsuit waiting to happen.”