📌 UPDATE — May 22, 2026
Grok has rolled out a fresh batch of third-party connectors, expanding what you can do directly inside the platform. Users can now build and deploy sites via Vercel, create designs in Canva, put together presentations in Gamma, and pull live market data from S&P Global — all without leaving Grok. The additions signal xAI's push to make Grok a more versatile, all-in-one productivity hub rather than a standalone chat tool.
Elon Musk posted a pair of links on X today — one with a video, one with a simple 'Try it out!' — pointing followers toward something new at xAI. The posts racked up over 2.2 million views combined within hours. But the real story is how much has already shipped this month. May 2026 has been one of xAI's most active release periods yet, with a new flagship model, a coding-specific tool, persistent 'Skills,' and expanded platform integrations all landing in quick succession.
What xAI Has Shipped in May 2026
1. Grok 4.3 — A Smarter, Cheaper Frontier Model
Launched on May 4, Grok 4.3 is xAI's current cost-efficient flagship. It ships with built-in reasoning, a 1-million-token context window, and native video input — a meaningful step up from its predecessor. According to xAI, it scored 53 on the Intelligence Index (median across models sits at 35) and gained over 300 Elo points on GDPval-AA compared to Grok 4.20. Pricing is set at $1.25 per million input tokens, positioning it as a competitive option for developers who want frontier-class performance without frontier-class bills.
2. Grok Skills — Persistent Expertise Across Conversations
First spotted by Releasebot on May 21, Grok Skills were officially introduced on May 18. The feature adds persistent custom expertise that carries across conversations — think of it as giving Grok a long-term memory for how you work. Built-in tools cover document generation, deck creation, spreadsheet editing, and workflow automation. Skills are available to Grok 4.3 users on web, iOS, and Android. This is the kind of productivity layer that moves Grok from 'chatbot' territory into genuine daily-driver status for knowledge workers.
3. Grok Build 0.1 — A Coding Model Built for Agents
Released in early access on May 14, Grok Build 0.1 is a purpose-built coding model trained specifically for agentic workflows — meaning it's designed to take multi-step actions, not just answer questions. It supports text and image inputs, outputs text, and carries a 256,000-token context window. API pricing is $1 per million input tokens and $2 per million output tokens, according to xAI. This isn't a general-purpose model with coding bolted on; it's a dedicated tool for developers building automated pipelines.
4. SuperGrok and X Premium Subscribers Get Grok Build Access
As of May 21, SuperGrok and X Premium subscribers can access Grok Build through OpenCode, a developer-focused coding environment, using their existing subscriptions. No separate API billing required for subscribers. This is a notable expansion of what the X Premium tier actually delivers — and a clear signal that xAI is using the X subscriber base as a distribution channel for its developer tools, not just its consumer chatbot.
5. OpenClaw Integration — Grok Enters the Open-Source Agent Ecosystem
On May 19, xAI integrated Grok with OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent platform. Grok and X Premium subscribers can now authenticate directly within OpenClaw, unlocking chat, image generation, and video generation capabilities through their existing plans. The move puts Grok alongside other frontier models in a platform developers are already using to build autonomous agents — and it does so without requiring a separate xAI account or API key for subscribers.
The Bigger Picture
Five meaningful releases in under three weeks is a fast pace by any measure. What's notable is the strategic coherence: Grok 4.3 handles the general-purpose and enterprise use case, Grok Build 0.1 targets the developer/agentic layer, Skills adds stickiness for everyday users, and the OpenClaw and OpenCode integrations push Grok into ecosystems where developers already live. Musk's 'Try it out!' posts today suggest at least one more piece is coming — whether that's a public Grok Skills rollout, a Grok Build update, or something not yet announced remains to be seen.
Sarah Chen
Senior Writer — Energy & SpaceX
Sarah focuses on Tesla Energy, SpaceX missions, and the broader Musk AI portfolio. Former data analyst in clean energy. Based in San Francisco.
Sources verified at publish time. Spotted an inaccuracy? Email editorial@basenor.com.