Grok Imagine turns photos on X into videos with just one click

At the high-tech amusement park that has become X (what everyone still calls Twitter), another attraction is being added that's sure to attract nerds and the general public alike. The fair's owner, Elon Musk, announced it in a post: Grok can now turn any image into a short video. Of course, you need an iPhone and the Grok app installed, but the new feature will soon be available on Android as well.

How it works

The animation starts with a simple long press on the desired image within the X feed, which brings up the “Make Video with Grok” option. The system sends the photo to the xAI servers, where the Aurora engine processes the visual content and applies one of the available animation modes, returning a clip of approximately six seconds complete with synchronized audio. The animations can be enriched with text instructions, allowing for the specification of more complex actions or dynamic styles, and integrate native sound effects for an immersive result. The video will automatically appear in the app's gallery, ready to be viewed, downloaded, or shared directly on X without any additional steps.

Who needs it?

The feature is designed for X users who want to bring their images to life instantly and creatively, from social media enthusiasts to marketing professionals who want to create short commercials without resorting to complex software. Teachers and content creators can also use it to animate slides or illustrative photographs, transforming static moments into engaging mini-videos. But—one might say—the new feature is primarily for Elon Musk, who on the one hand will have a wealth of additional images with which to train his platform, and on the other, he will be able to count on the wow effect of the images animated by artificial intelligence to get people talking about Grok.

Come Vine

With Grok Imagine, Musk aims to revive the Vine concept, recalling the nostalgia of the famous short-form video platform acquired by Twitter in 2012 and shut down five years later. Furthermore, the integrated video animation serves to differentiate itself from competitors like OpenAI and Google Gemini. The ease of use on X aims to increase engagement, facilitate the viral spread of content, and encourage users to subscribe to SuperGrok and Premium+ plans, thus strengthening xAI's AI ecosystem. Musk also indicated that the speed of generation is a major advantage, as it allows for instant video creation without interrupting the creative flow.