Elon Musk Says This Time It's an AI Messenger, 'XChat'... Will It Shake Up the Messaging Market?

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[Financial News] XChat, a new messenger that combines the ecosystem of Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI and the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, is set to be unveiled on the 24th. Musk's latest challenge, backed by his global platform power, is also raising tension in South Korea's messenger market, which is dominated by KakaoTalk.
According to the IT industry on the 23rd, the newly launched XChat is a service that separates the direct messaging function users previously used within the X platform into a standalone app. Its key feature is that users can communicate with people around the world using only an X account, without relying on a phone number.
XChat's main strengths are expected to be security and AI features. The service is designed with end-to-end encryption (E2EE), so no one other than the user can intercept the conversation. It also inherits Telegram's strong privacy protections, including screenshot blocking, automatic message deletion, and minimized user data tracking.
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On top of that, the latest AI model Grok 3, developed by Musk's xAI, is expected to be built in and serve as an AI assistant. It is also said to include a voice-based Grok Voice feature that can hold natural conversations with users, share captured images, and exchange questions and answers in real time. In other words, users will be able to freely use high-performance AI within a highly secure messenger environment.
Industry observers expect XChat to quickly attract users based on X's existing user base. X currently has about 8 million monthly active users in South Korea. Because it can be used with an existing X account, a large and loyal user base is likely to flow naturally into XChat. If it proves itself as a strong security platform that can replace Telegram and demonstrates strong AI utility, it could also draw in users who do not currently use X.
If XChat's spin-off strategy succeeds in the market, rival social media platforms such as Meta Platforms, Inc.'s Facebook and Instagram may also pursue similar derivative strategies. Instagram direct messages are already replacing messenger functions among users in their teens and 20s.
There is also speculation that XChat could become a rival to KakaoTalk, given that it is promoting a no-advertising policy. Recently, some South Korean users have said they are growing tired of the growing number of ad messages on KakaoTalk.
However, some analysts say the actual impact will be limited, as KakaoTalk has established itself as a super-app rather than a simple communication tool. That is because KakaoTalk has built an ecosystem that integrates not only messaging but also essential everyday functions related to shopping, finance, and other areas of consumption and daily life.
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wongood@fnnews.com Juwon Gyu Reporter