It’s hard to think of a more influential platform than X. During its Twitter days, the social media app served as a crucial online space for amplifying numerous political movements. But ever since Elon Musk took control of the company in 2022 and folded it into his artificial intelligence startup SpaceXAI (formerly xAI) a few years later, X is now a vehicle for the tech mogul’s AI ambitions as well.
What Is X?
X (formerly known as Twitter) is a social media app that lets users share short, written posts. Users can also engage with others by liking, resharing and commenting on their posts, as well as sending direct messages. Since tech mogul Elon Musk acquired the platform in 2022, X has become a training ground for supplying real-time data to Grok — a chatbot with a “rebellious streak” built by Musk’s AI startup, SpaceXAI.
That said, Musk has struggled to completely replace Twitter’s rich history with his own vision for the app now known as X. We’re diving into the details of how the platform shed its Twitter name, what it’s capable of today and how it ultimately fits into Musk’s tech ecosystem in the age of AI.
What Does X Do?
X users can share written messages of 280 characters or less on their profile. They can send images and videos, too, though videos are limited to 140 seconds for free accounts. Users engage with other posts by liking them, reposting to their own accounts and sometimes adding their own comments when reposting — known as quoting. They can also send direct messages to recipients who accept messages from all users, not just those who follow their account or who they follow.
To make it easier to find specific individuals, X assigns each user a handle, or a unique label that begins with “@.” Users can also include hashtags — a word or phrase preceded by “#” — in posts, making their content more visible to others interested in similar topics. The platform then facilitates online conversations by helping users quickly connect with relevant people and tap into trending discussions.
That said, users can choose how public they want their accounts to be, making posts viewable only to followers and permitting only followers to send direct messages. This way, X users can customize their experience based on their personal goals, whether it’s developing a broad online following or extending real-world relationships into the digital realm.
Generative AI has also become a larger part of the X experience through Grok, the chatbot developed by Musk’s AI company, which users can interact with directly within the app by typing “@Grok” in a post or reply. Grok can answer questions, summarize trending topics and generate images.
Why Did Twitter Change Its Name to X?
Twitter changed its name when it fell under Musk’s leadership, who became the company’s largest shareholder in April 2022 and formally acquired the company later that year. Musk previously complained that Twitter censored leading conservative voices, so buying the platform was the first step in making it “politically neutral” — whether X has achieved that goal, however, remains a subject of debate.
In July 2023, Twitter officially dropped its name and iconic bird logo, rebranding as “X” with the letter X as its symbol. The name carries deep meaning for Musk, who owned the domain X.com back in 1999 before ceding it a couple of years later to PayPal. He finally bought back the domain name in 2017, ultimately bestowing it upon the social media platform.
X vs. Twitter: What Changed?
Besides replacing Twitter’s name and logo, Musk altered several features and policies that once defined the app’s user experience. For instance, he briefly increased the post limit to 4,000 characters, added video and voice calls and required paid subscriptions for users who wanted to verify their accounts with a blue check mark — a feature that used to be free. Today, paid verification and expanded post limits remain, with X Premium subscribers being able to post up to 25,000 characters.
Another major shift under Musk’s watch was the introduction of the Grok chatbot, which is known for having a more cheeky, “rebellious” personality than other popular platforms like ChatGPT or Claude. Grok can access posts to inform its answers with real-time data, essentially turning X into a training ground for continually improving SpaceXAI’s large language models. This relationship was solidified when SpaceXAI acquired X in 2025, reorienting the app around Musk’s AI initiatives.
The most consequential outcome of Musk buying Twitter, though, was the end of the company’s existence as an independent entity. Musk merged Twitter with his firm X Corp in 2023, taking the formerly publicly traded company private and placing it firmly under his influence. While this move paved the way for his immediate plans for X, it also added long-term value to his business empire and set the stage for future decisions to consolidate his portfolio.
Current Features of X
X has evolved well beyond a platform for merely writing short posts. Below are some of the capabilities users can access for free:
Recording and editing original videos directly on X.
Filming and editing livestreams with dedicated tools.
Holding hours-long discussions, interviews and podcasts.
Asking Grok to explain, contextualize or summarize posts.
Pinning specific feeds to follow certain topics more closely.
Setting “priority notifications” to get alerts about select content.
Those who want a more personalized experience can pay for a premium subscription. Available in three tiers, X Premium provides enhanced features like longer posts up to 25,000 characters, fewer ads, creator subscriptions for monetizing content and the ability to establish communities centered around shared interests.
How Does X Make Money?
Premium subscriptions have become a consistent revenue source for X. The most basic plan starts at $3 per month, with the highest tier starting at $40 per month. Of course, the exact price can vary based on taxes and other local regulations.
But online advertising remains the app’s main source of income. According to media research platform Business of Apps, X raked in $2.5 billion in total revenue in 2024, with ads being responsible for $1.7 billion. That means that digital ads made up 68 percent of X’s revenue, exposing how the platform almost single-handedly depends on its advertising operations to stay profitable.
What Is X’s “Everything App” Vision?
Musk had multiple motives for buying Twitter, but the biggest driver seems to have been his dream of transforming it into an “everything app.” Eventually, he hoped the rebranded X would rival China’s WeChat, which bundles messaging, subscriptions, social media, food delivery, bill payments and other services into a single platform. The concept never really caught on, though, convincing Musk to pivot to AI.
Since SpaceX acquired SpaceXAI, Musk’s AI and aerospace initiatives now fall under the same umbrella. X is then set to play a critical role as the main source of real-time data that can power even more advanced AI models as Musk seeks to expand his government partnerships and justify taking the AI race into space.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between Twitter and X?
Twitter is the former name of the social media platform X, which rebranded after Elon Musk acquired the company in 2022. While the app was primarily known for short written posts during its Twitter days, Musk has expanded X’s abilities with features like video and audio calls, podcast recordings and access to Grok — SpaceXAI’s “rebellious” chatbot.
How much does an X account cost?
Basic X accounts are free. Those who want access to a wider range of features can sign up for a premium account, which starts at $3 per month. The highest premium tier costs $40 per month for users who want no ads and more advanced AI features.
Who owns X?
Elon Musk owns X. He became Twitter’s largest shareholder in April 2022, officially acquiring the company later that year and renaming it to X. This acquisition took Twitter off the stock market and made it a private company. Musk later merged it with X Corp., which he owns, placing the social media platform under his sole ownership and control.
Is X free?
Basic X accounts are free, though they come with usage restrictions. To unlock more features, users need to sign up for a premium subscription, which starts at $3 per month.
