Tech Brew Ride Home Grok Still Groking
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Jan 9, 2026 Grok updates its AI image generation features but avoids a paywall. xAI faces major financial challenges as it raises funds for its humanoid robot ambitions. Chinese companies are set to dominate global humanoid robot shipments in 2025, showing a competitive edge. DeepSeek is preparing to launch a new model with impressive coding capabilities. Meanwhile, Andreessen Horowitz has secured a massive $15 billion for venture investments, cementing its status as a leading VC firm. Weekend longreads dive into the future of leadership at Apple and nuclear energy advancements.
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Grok Image Limits Are Largely Illusory
- Grok's announcement suggested image generation was limited to paid users but free accounts still access editing and creation features across X and the standalone Grok app.
- That discrepancy means paywalling alone won't stop abusive deepfake generation and can obscure true platform risk.
XAI's Cash Burn Fuels Ambitious Robot Plans
- XAI is burning cash rapidly while pitching a roadmap from AI agents to humanoid robots like Optimus.
- Its recent $20B raise and rising revenue aim to sustain aggressive spending despite steep quarterly losses.
China Leads Early Humanoid Robot Production
- Chinese firms dominated humanoid robot shipments in 2025, shipping the majority of roughly 13,000 units.
- Cheaper mass production and integrated AI models positioned China to lead a market projected to explode through 2035.