Elon Musk to make 'BabyGrok' kid-friendly AI chatbot, but is AI-powered learning safe for kids?

After introducing a new feature, 'Ani,' the gothic anime girl AI (artificial intelligence) chatbot Grok on X (formerly called Twitter) on Monday, July 14, tech billionaire Elon Musk is working on a kid-friendly version of its Grok chatbot, he said in a post on X.

On Sunday, Musk took to his X and announced that they are going to make BabyGroke@xAI, an app dedicated to kid-friendly content. According to ET, this is going to be the new version, which is expected to launch as a separate application tailored for young users; however, further details are still awaited.

On the other hand, Musk also hinted at a new capability that would enable Grok to create viral videos by expanding its other creative tools.



The Artificial Intelligence Index, a benchmark suite that evaluates models across a variety of capacities, recently saw Grok 4 at the top:

• Multitask language comprehension (MMLU-Pro) and graduate-level problem solving (GPQA Diamond)
• The Final Examination of Humanity: Existential and General Thinking
• LiveCodeBench: Programming in real time
• SciCode: Modelling and computation for science
• Olympiad-level mathematical reasoning (AIME)
• Math-500: Complex problem-solving in mathematics.

According to ET, which shows promising results, "A large-scale AI technology intervention across 5,000 government schools showed 20-40 per cent overall gains in learning outcomes, with teachers also reporting improved skills."

• The study involved 1 million children and 15,000 teachers, indicating the substantial positive impact AI can have on educational achievement. A look at the positive impacts in the Indian context:
• Intelligent tutoring systems can help mitigate the teacher shortage in India by delivering virtual instruction and mentorship through interactive support and personalised feedback.
• While 65 per cent of Indians have used generative AI—over twice the global average of 31 per cent—notable disparities still persist.
• Educational tools powered by AI, such as Appu, developed by Rocket Learning with support from Google.org, highlight how homegrown innovations can tackle challenges unique to India.

The implementation of kid-friendly AI apps raises safety concerns that are particularly relevant in the Indian context.

Screen time: In India, the average screen time of children under 5 is about 2.2 hours daily, double the expert-recommended limit.

Excessive screen time is linked to:

• Delayed language development
• Reduced cognitive skills
• Poor social behaviour
• Increased obesity risk
• Sleep disturbances

Cultural and social risks: AI cannot teach values, ethics, and emotional intelligence or offer a human experience that is essential for moral development.

Content moderation: Content moderation often fails to account for India's linguistic diversity and sociocultural nuances.

Age-appropriate design: Different interfaces and content for various age groups within the 5-15 range.

Human oversight: AI interactions should complement, not replace, human guidance.


Meanwhile, the current new AI feature is exclusively available to the iOS app, and there are three companions available: a 2D goth anime girl with blonde pigtails named Ani and a 3D cartoon fox named Bad Rudy. This feature is likely powered by Grok 4 and a new one that is inspired by 50 Shades of Grey and the Twilight Saga.

Amid the launch of 'Ani,' the girl anime companion that may include a not safe for work (NSFW) mode, allowing users to undress the characters and reveal them in lingerie. This led to major trolling and became a part of the online backlash.

Following this, the question of whether there should be kid-friendly AI applications for children aged 5-15 in India is both timely and complex.

Also Read: Elon Musk’s Grok AI anime avatar 'Ani' goes viral for NSFW mode; sparks debate over flirtatious and adult responses