allnewscastallnewscast
Breaking News
Paxton’s Private Convention Assessment Collides With Trump’s Public Praise— Politics & ElectionsGillibrand and Welch Set Fall Senate Hearing Schedule For Tariff Repeal Bill— Politics & ElectionsFederal Judge Says Trump Team Defied Mail-Voting Injunction With New USPS Rule— Politics & Electionsnews1— Politics & ElectionsPaxton’s Private Convention Assessment Collides With Trump’s Public Praise— Politics & ElectionsGillibrand and Welch Set Fall Senate Hearing Schedule For Tariff Repeal Bill— Politics & ElectionsFederal Judge Says Trump Team Defied Mail-Voting Injunction With New USPS Rule— Politics & Electionsnews1— Politics & Elections
AI & Tech

SpaceXAI to Launch Startup in 72 Hours Using New AInews Tool

Nic Reeve6 min read
SpaceXAI to Launch Startup in 72 Hours Using New AInews Tool

SpaceXAI employees will attempt to build a functional startup from scratch in only 72 hours starting September 15, 2026, using the newly released AInews tool known as Grok Bot. This live event, titled Grok Bot Galaxy, will feature Matt Palmer, Lauren Tan, and Roshan Sadanani making every business decision on camera in San Francisco. The participants will use autonomous agents to handle various operations, aiming to transform a blank slate into a working business by the end of the three-day period on September 17.

What is the Grok Bot Galaxy event?

The Grok Bot Galaxy event is a live-streamed challenge where three employees will attempt to launch a company in three days using AI agents. The event begins on September 15 and concludes on September 17, with sessions running daily from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time.

According to coincentral.com, the team starts with no pre-selected company name, product, or core idea. All strategic choices will be made live during the broadcast. A free worldwide livestream will allow the public to observe how much of the heavy lifting is performed by the software versus the human creators.

How does Grok Bot differ from the standard Grok chatbot?

Grok Bot is an autonomous agent platform, which is distinct from the Grok chatbot used for answering questions on X. While the chatbot generates text and media, the bot is designed to execute multi-step projects and work tasks independently.

The technology allows users to create specific agents, assign them names, and set objectives for them to complete. According to cnet.com, these agents differ from assistants because they can act proactively. While an assistant might book a reservation, an agent could potentially help manage the entire operations of a restaurant.

What capabilities does this new AI agent platform possess?

Grok Bot agents operate on persistent cloud computers rather than the user's local hardware. This allows them to run tasks around the clock, even after a human user has logged off their device.

The software can sign into various apps, websites, and email inboxes to perform work. According to eweek.com, the bots can work through user interfaces instead of relying solely on APIs. This means they can interact with digital tools in the same way a human employee would, including services that lack dedicated connections.

  • Agents run on dedicated cloud-based computers.
  • The system can remember past conversations and learn user preferences.
  • Bots can execute tasks from start to finish.
  • Users can interact with agents via phone or computer to provide updates.

Can multiple AI agents work together?

Yes, the platform allows for the deployment of multiple agents that can communicate, share work, and coordinate tasks. This creates a digital workforce where different bots handle specialized roles.

SpaceXAI has already utilized this coordination internally. According to thenextweb.com, the company has used the agents for engineering, growth, and marketing tasks. This includes activities such as pulling expense receipts from emails and conducting overnight sales research.

Internal use cases reported by cnet.com show agents handling:

  • Sales outreach.
  • Recruiting processes.
  • Processing invoices.
  • Implementing bug fixes.
  • CRM updates.

How do users train these autonomous agents?

Users can train the agents by having them observe a human's specific workflow. Once the agent understands the necessary steps and processes, it can perform the routine independently in the future.

The platform is designed to become more proactive as it learns. According to cnet.com, the agents can eventually complete work before a customer even asks for it. This learning process aims to reduce the need for repetitive instructions over time.

Who is currently eligible to use the software?

The Grok Bot platform is currently in a beta phase with restricted access. It is not yet available to all users or all enterprise-level organizations.

According to thenextweb.com, current access is limited to subscribers of the following tiers:

  • SuperGrok Heavy.
  • Cursor Ultra.
  • Cursor Teams Premium.

The software is available on macOS, Windows, Linux, and iOS, with an Android version expected to follow. Enterprise customers are currently placed on a waitlist for future access.

What is the corporate history of SpaceXAI?

SpaceXAI was established following a major acquisition in early 2026. This move integrated different AI technologies under a single corporate umbrella.

According to coincentral.com, SpaceX acquired xAI in February, a deal that valued xAI at $250 billion. Following this, the company acquired the coding firm Cursor in August for $60 billion. This merger has positioned the company to compete directly in the rapidly evolving agentic AI market.

What are the primary risks associated with AI agents?

The primary risk involves the potential for agents to act unpredictably or cause security breaches when given access to sensitive business systems and credentials.

Uttara M. Ananthakrishnan, an assistant professor at the University of Washington, warns that reliability is the biggest hurdle. Speaking to cnet.com, she stated:

"The biggest issue pops up with multi-step jobs. If a bot gets through the first two steps of a process and then flakes out, the person using it has to start all over."

Other reported risks include:

  • Unauthorized access to customer records or internal applications.
  • The potential for "going rogue," such as an agent in Australia deleting a person from a waiting list to book a class.
  • Security vulnerabilities, as noted when a researcher found Grok Build uploading full Git repositories to cloud storage.

How does the company address enterprise security?

SpaceXAI provides various security controls for its higher-tier business and enterprise versions, though it is unclear if these apply to the current beta.

According to eweek.com, enterprise controls for Grok Business and Enterprise include Single Sign-On (SSO), role-based access controls, and audit capabilities. The company also offers an Enterprise Vault with customer-managed encryption keys and guarantees no training on customer data.

However, questions remain regarding how the beta version handles data retention. The company's May 12 terms suggest a 30-day retention period for most interactions, but it is unknown if the Grok Bot utilizes a different model.

How does the market view this technology?

The shift toward agentic AI is seen as a major industry trend, with professional services firms predicting massive adoption in the coming years.

According to cnet.com, Deloitte estimates that 75% of companies plan to incorporate AI agent systems into their operations by 2028. This represents a move away from simple chatbots toward systems that can actually execute complex, multi-step projects autonomously.

Who are the main competitors in this space?

SpaceXAI is entering a crowded field of developers working on autonomous agents that can navigate software interfaces.

According to cnet.com, several predecessors and rivals exist, including:

  • OpenClaw.
  • Claude Computer Use.
  • OpenAI Operator.
  • Manus.
  • Hermes Agent.

Additionally, thenextweb.com notes that OpenAI's Sam Altman has been discussing the coordination of agents with lawmakers, indicating that the race for office-based AI is intensifying.

What happens after the 72-hour challenge?

The outcome of the Grok Bot Galaxy event will serve as a real-world proof of concept for the platform's ability to sustain a business.

By the time the livestream ends on September 17, the world will see if the three employees have created a legitimate, working product with actual users. If the agents successfully manage the company's operations throughout the sprint, it will demonstrate that the software can handle the complexities of real-world entrepreneurship. If the bots fail or require constant human intervention, it may suggest that the technology is not yet ready for full enterprise autonomy.

Sources

  1. 1.coincentral.comHow SpaceXAI is using Grok Bot to scale customer support
  2. 2.cnet.comSpaceXAI Joins the AI Agent Game With Grok Bot
  3. 3.eweek.comSpaceXAI's Grok Bot Runs Workplace Tasks on Its Own Cloud Computer
  4. 4.thenextweb.comSpaceXAI launches Grok Bot as the agent race moves to office work

Read more →

Related Articles

AInews: xAI Unveils Grok 4.7 With Expanded Reasoning for Developers
AI & Tech

AInews: xAI Unveils Grok 4.7 With Expanded Reasoning for Developers

AInews: xAI introduced Grok 4.7 on September 21, 2026, positioning the model as its strongest system yet for software development, agentic tasks and professional knowledge work. The release is available through Cursor, Grok Build, the Grok API, third-party coding tools, model routers and cloud platforms, according to xAI’s launch announcement. What did xAI release on September 21? xAI released Grok 4.7 as a new flagship model for work that requires extended reasoning, code generation and research. The company says the system is built on a larger base model than Grok 4.6 and received further reinforcement learning on difficult, long-running tasks. Launch date: September 21, 2026, according to xAI. Primary uses: coding, agentic workflows and knowledge work, according to xAI. Model identifier: grok-4.7 on the xAI API, according to xAI’s release information. Inputs and outputs: text and images in, with text output, according to xAI’s published model details. The launch followed several days of speculation about a new Grok version. Reports published before the announcement pointed to possible appearances in cloud-service quotas, but those reports did not establish a public release. xAI’s September 21 announcement supplied the first direct confirmation. What capabilities does Grok 4.7 claim? Grok 4.7 is designed to stay engaged with complex tasks for longer, check its own work and handle large amounts of context. Those claims come from xAI and describe the company’s intended use case rather than an independent performance verdict. Context window: 500,000 tokens, according to xAI’s model information. Reasoning controls: low, medium, high and xhigh settings, according to xAI’s release documentation. Default reasoning level: high, according to release details summarized by independent AI industry publications. Tools: function calling, web search, X search and code execution, according to xAI’s API documentation. The model’s focus is practical rather than limited to chat. A coding agent can use tool calls, inspect files, revise code and run tests. A research workflow can retain more material in one session. The 500,000-token window also gives developers room to pass large repositories, technical documents or multi-step task histories without splitting every request. How did the new model perform in published tests? Early benchmark figures come mainly from xAI’s own launch materials and should be read as company-reported results. Independent coverage has repeated the figures, but the available reports do not establish that every test used identical prompts, tools or evaluation rules across competing systems. CursorBench 4.0: 46.3%, according to xAI’s reported benchmark results. DeepSWE v1.1: 71.0%, according to xAI’s reported benchmark results. EEBench: 64.0%, according to xAI’s reported benchmark results. HealthBench Professional: 56.7%, according to xAI’s reported benchmark results. Harvey Legal Agent Benchmark: 19.6%, according to xAI’s reported benchmark results. These tests cover different abilities. Coding benchmarks measure software-engineering performance, while health and legal evaluations examine professional question answering or agent behavior. A single percentage cannot describe the model’s performance across every use case. Users will also need to distinguish benchmark scores from production reliability. A system can produce a strong result under a controlled test and still require human review when it changes a live codebase, handles sensitive records or makes decisions in regulated fields. Where can customers use Grok 4.7? Grok 4.7 launched across developer products rather than as a single consumer-only update. xAI says customers can access it through Cursor and Grok Build, while API users can connect it to applications and coding agents. Cursor: available at launch, according to xAI and independent release coverage. Grok Build: available at launch, according to xAI. xAI API: available under the grok-4.7 name, according to xAI. Other routes: third-party coding harnesses, model routers and cloud platforms, according to xAI. GitHub Copilot: independent release reports said the model was added for Pro, Pro+, Max, Business and Enterprise plans on launch day. Availability can vary by product, plan and region. API access also depends on account approval, endpoint support and a developer’s chosen integration. A model appearing in a routing service does not necessarily mean that every customer receives the same limits, latency or tool access. How much does Grok 4.7 cost? xAI priced the standard API model at $2 per million input tokens and $6 per million output tokens for prompts below 200,000 tokens, according to the company’s published pricing. Longer prompts use a higher price tier. Input: $2 per million tokens below the 200,000-token prompt threshold, according to xAI. Cached input: $0.50 per million tokens below that threshold, according to release documentation. Output: $6 per million tokens below the threshold, according to xAI. Longer prompts: $4 input, $1 cached input and $12 output per million tokens above 200,000 tokens, according to xAI’s listed rates. Token pricing is only one part of the bill. Applications that run repeated tool calls, web searches or code execution can consume more tokens and generate extra service costs. Developers also need to account for storage, monitoring and the cost of human review. What changed from Grok 4.6? Grok 4.7 keeps the 500,000-token context window and the standard $2 input and $6 output rates associated with Grok 4.6 for shorter prompts, according to release reports. xAI instead presents the upgrade as a capability improvement aimed at harder tasks, stronger verification and longer-running work. Model scale: xAI describes Grok 4.7 as using a larger base model than Grok 4.6. Training: xAI says the newer system received extended reinforcement learning on harder and longer tasks. Self-checking: xAI says Grok 4.7 verifies its outputs more reliably. Pricing: the standard short-prompt API rates remain $2 per million input tokens and $6 per million output tokens, according to xAI. The company also lists a faster version called Grok 4.7 Fast. Independent release coverage reported that the faster variant is available through Cursor and Grok Build at twice the standard token rates, while it was not listed as a public xAI API model at launch. What should developers watch next? The next test will come from real deployments. Developers will assess whether the model’s longer context and self-checking reduce debugging time, whether higher reasoning settings justify their latency and whether the system behaves consistently across different coding tools and cloud services. Independent benchmark replication could clarify how Grok 4.7 compares with rival systems. API documentation and regional rollout details will determine who can access each feature. Enterprise users will examine privacy, logging, retention and permission controls before wider deployment. Developers will compare the standard and Fast versions on cost, speed and task accuracy. Grok 4.7 arrives as AI companies compete for developer workloads that involve more than text generation. The product’s success will depend on measurable software outcomes, predictable operating costs and the ability to keep human oversight in the loop when an automated agent changes code or handles sensitive professional work.

Nic Reeve·
Google adds xAI’s Grok 4.6 to its enterprise agent marketplace
AI & Tech

Google adds xAI’s Grok 4.6 to its enterprise agent marketplace

Google’s enterprise AI platform has added support for xAI’s Grok 4.6, expanding the model choices available to business users building agents and automations. The new listing appears in Google’s Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform documentation and places Grok 4.6 in the platform’s Model Garden, where developers can access third-party models alongside Google’s own offerings. According to xAI and Google documentation published this week, Grok 4.6 is positioned as xAI’s most capable model for coding, agentic tasks and knowledge work. The model is described as being built for long-running agents and more ambitious interactive and visual work, with a 500,000-token context window and configurable reasoning levels labeled low, medium, high and xhigh. The addition matters because enterprise teams increasingly want a single environment where they can compare and deploy multiple frontier models without rewriting their entire workflow. By making Grok 4.6 available inside Google’s enterprise agent stack, Google is giving customers another option for tasks that may benefit from longer context handling, multi-step reasoning and tool use. The model is also surfaced with a dedicated publisher-style entry, indicating that it can be selected and managed through the platform’s standard model browsing interface. xAI’s own release materials say Grok 4.6 is available through the xAI API and partner services, with pricing set at $2 per million input tokens, $0.50 per million cached input tokens and $6 per million output tokens for prompts under 200,000 tokens. For larger prompts of 200,000 tokens or more, xAI says pricing rises to $4 per million input tokens, $1 per million cached input tokens and $12 per million output tokens. Google’s documentation mirrors the availability, listing Grok 4.6 in preview inside Model Garden. The model’s arrival on Google’s platform follows a broader rollout that xAI announced earlier in August. In its release notes, xAI said Grok 4.6 is intended for coding, agentic tasks and knowledge work, and that it supports text and image input with text-only output. The company also says the model has no stated text output limit and includes tools such as function calling, web search, X search and code execution. For enterprise customers, the practical appeal is straightforward: Grok 4.6 is being offered as a high-capacity model for jobs that stretch over long sessions, such as software development, research synthesis and multi-step workflow automation. The 500,000-token window gives the model room to hold far more context than many standard systems, while the reasoning controls allow users to adjust how aggressively the model thinks before responding. Google has not said Grok 4.6 will replace any existing models on the platform, and the documentation frames the addition as another selectable option rather than a default. That means enterprise teams can test it against other models already in the platform for quality, latency and cost before deciding where it fits best. The move also underscores how cloud AI marketplaces are evolving into neutral distribution channels for rival model makers. Instead of forcing customers into a single vendor’s ecosystem, platforms like Google’s are increasingly acting as aggregators, giving users access to models from multiple providers under one set of enterprise controls. For now, Grok 4.6’s presence on Google’s enterprise platform is likely to be watched closely by developers who need large context windows and by organizations already experimenting with agentic workflows. The combination of broad availability, configurable reasoning and enterprise distribution could make it a notable option in a crowded market for advanced AI models.

Nic Reeve·
Trump’s Pick vs. Freedom Caucus Firebrand in South Carolina GOP Senate Runoff
AI & Tech

Trump’s Pick vs. Freedom Caucus Firebrand in South Carolina GOP Senate Runoff

South Carolina Republicans are heading into a fiercely contested August 25 runoff that will decide who carries the party’s banner for the U.S. Senate seat once held by the late Lindsey Graham. Sen. Darline Graham , his sister and the appointed incumbent, is locked in a tight race with Rep. Ralph Norman , a veteran House conservative, after neither candidate secured a majority in the August 11 special primary. The winner of the runoff will face Democrat Annie Andrews , a pediatrician and party nominee, in the November general election, making Tuesday’s vote the decisive Republican step in determining Lindsey Graham’s successor for a full six-year term. From Appointment to First Campaign: Darline Graham’s Bid to Keep the Seat Darline Graham was appointed on July 13, 2026, by Gov. Henry McMaster to fill the vacancy created by her brother’s sudden death, taking the Senate oath the following day. Before entering elected office, she served as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind and worked as a vocational rehabilitation counselor, building a profile rooted in social services and disability advocacy. In the crowded, 10-candidate Republican special primary on August 11, Graham placed first but fell short of the 50 percent threshold required to avoid a runoff, winning roughly 32–33 percent of the vote. South Carolina law mandates a runoff when no contender surpasses an outright majority, sending Graham and Norman back to voters for a head-to-head contest. Graham’s campaign has emphasized continuity with her brother’s legacy, a focus on national security and support for military families, and her experience in state-level administration. Her allies argue that her appointment and subsequent elevation in the primary demonstrate a desire among voters for stability amid a rapid and unexpected transition. Ralph Norman’s Challenge from the Right Ralph Norman, who represents South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District, is a long-time member of the House Freedom Caucus and has built his political identity around hardline conservative positions on spending, immigration, and cultural issues. In the primary, Norman finished second with about 24–25 percent of the vote, securing his place in the runoff but underscoring the need to expand his base in a statewide race. Norman has framed the runoff as a choice between his record of legislative experience and Graham’s status as a newly appointed senator. In interviews, he has pointed to his years in Congress and business background, arguing that he is better prepared to navigate complex national debates and advance conservative priorities. On the campaign trail and in debates, Norman has cast himself as the more reliable champion of limited government and tighter border controls, while criticizing what he portrays as insider politics around Graham’s appointment and backing from party leaders. Trump’s Endorsement Becomes a Flashpoint The race gained national attention when former President Donald Trump endorsed Darline Graham in the runoff, aligning himself with the appointed incumbent rather than the Freedom Caucus stalwart. Trump’s support reflects a pattern in recent election cycles in which his endorsements have sometimes clashed with the preferences of local activists and hard-right factions. Norman has openly questioned the endorsement, calling it a “head scratcher” and noting his history of voting for Trump’s priorities in Congress. He has argued that his voting record and close alignment with Trump-era policies should make him the natural choice for the former president’s backing, suggesting that the decision was influenced by establishment figures eager to maintain continuity in the Senate seat. For Graham, the endorsement provides a powerful signal to GOP voters who remain loyal to Trump, potentially helping her consolidate support among primary voters wary of internal party conflict. Her campaign has treated the backing as validation of her commitment to the same conservative agenda her brother supported in the Senate. Debates, Jabs, and Competing Visions The closing days of the campaign have featured sharp exchanges between the two Republicans in televised debates and forums across the state. In a recent U.S. Senate debate covered by South Carolina Public Radio, Graham and Norman “exchanged jabs” while outlining competing visions for the party’s future. Graham leaned on her experience overseeing services for blind and disabled South Carolinians, promising to prioritize health care access, veterans’ services, and steady governance during a period of uncertainty following her brother’s death. Norman, meanwhile, pressed his case for a more confrontational approach to federal spending and executive power, positioning himself as the candidate best suited to challenge what he sees as overreach by Washington. Both candidates have pledged strong support for conservative judicial appointments and a robust national defense, often invoking Lindsey Graham’s long record on foreign policy and military issues. However, their rhetoric diverges on style: Graham presents herself as a steady hand and consensus-builder, while Norman appeals to GOP voters who prefer sharper ideological contrasts and a more combative tone in Washington. Runoff Mechanics and Voter Turnout Stakes Early voting for the runoff has been open in South Carolina in the days leading up to August 25, with polls available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in counties across the state. On runoff day, polling places will operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. , giving Republicans a 12-hour window to settle the intraparty contest. Given the relatively low turnout typical of runoff elections, both campaigns are focusing heavily on field operations and targeted outreach. Graham’s team is leaning on statewide name recognition and the emotional resonance of her brother’s legacy, while Norman’s campaign seeks to mobilize conservative grassroots networks that have powered his House wins. The Democratic nominee, Annie Andrews, has kept a relatively low profile during the GOP runoff but stands ready to frame the eventual Republican winner as out of step with mainstream voters on abortion, health care, and gun policy. Her campaign sees opportunity if the GOP emerges from the runoff divided or if the Trump endorsement becomes a liability in the general election. National Implications of a Statewide Contest Beyond South Carolina, the runoff is being watched as a test of the balance between Trump-aligned insiders and hardline House conservatives within the Republican Party. A Graham victory would underscore the continuing influence of Trump’s endorsements and party leaders in shaping Senate races, particularly when family ties and incumbency are in play. A Norman win, by contrast, would signal the strength of the Freedom Caucus wing and could embolden similar challenges to appointed or establishment-backed Republicans in other states. For South Carolina voters, the choice on August 25 will determine not only who replaces Lindsey Graham, but also which version of the GOP they want representing them in Washington.

Nic Reeve·