Why the Telegram–Grok Integration Never Happened

In 2025, Telegram was expected to deeply integrate the AI chatbot Grok, developed by xAI, potentially securing up to $300 million in funding along with additional revenue-sharing incentives. The deal never materialised.

According to sources cited by industry media, the project ultimately stalled over a single, unresolved issue: how to guarantee absolute user privacy without compromise.

Grok Was Not the Only Candidate

Grok was not Telegram’s only potential AI partner. The company also held discussions with Perplexity and several other AI providers. In all cases, negotiations encountered the same fundamental obstacle — the inability to ensure complete confidentiality of user data when relying on third-party, centralised AI systems.

Following unsuccessful talks with Telegram, Perplexity later signed a similar integration agreement with Snapchat.

Telegram’s Core Concern: User Data

Speaking at Blockchain Life 2025 in Dubai, Telegram founder Pavel Durov acknowledged the rapid growth of AI bots within the platform. He described chat-based interfaces as a natural format for AI interaction and highlighted Telegram’s powerful API as a strong foundation for AI services.

However, Durov also pointed to a structural problem. Most AI solutions depend on centralised providers, which gain access to user messages, documents, and behavioural data. Such access, he argued, creates risks not only of data reuse for model training but also profiling and potential manipulation.

User backlash to AI-powered summarisation tools — particularly those requiring messages or files to be sent to third parties — further reinforced these concerns.

A Shift Toward Decentralised AI

As a result, Telegram abandoned the idea of deep integration with external AI providers, despite the financial incentives involved. Sources familiar with the discussions note that safeguarding user privacy was prioritised over potential revenue and high-profile partnerships.

This shift led to the development of Cocoon — a decentralised network designed to process AI requests without exposing user data to external entities.

From Grok to Cocoon

At stake was a package reportedly worth $300 million in cash and equity, along with a proposed 50% share of subscription revenue from xAI sold through Telegram. Elon Musk later denied that a final agreement had been signed, while Durov stated that formalities had not been completed.

Since the public announcement in May 2025, neither Musk nor Durov has revisited the topic of Grok integration.

Instead, Telegram accelerated work on its own AI infrastructure. In November, the company launched Cocoon, enabling confidential AI processing. By January 2026, Telegram users gained access to built-in translation tools, message summaries, and even AI-generated overviews of web pages.

Crucially, unlike potential integrations with Grok, ChatGPT, or Perplexity, these features do not expose user data to third-party providers.

Privacy as a Strategic Choice

Telegram’s approach underscores a broader strategic bet: AI tools will only be deeply integrated into the platform if they operate under a fully transparent, autonomous, and privacy-preserving model.

In choosing Cocoon over established AI partnerships, Telegram appears willing to forgo short-term financial gains in favour of long-term trust and control over user data.