Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram, initially announced a partnership with xAI in May 2025, aiming to enhance the platform with features like fact-checking, thread summaries, AI-driven searches, and chat moderation. However, this collaboration has ultimately been unsuccessful. Reports indicate that Telegram also explored partnerships with other startups, including Perplexity, but all discussions reportedly stalled due to concerns over user data protection stemming from the centralized nature of AI providers. As a result, Telegram has opted to develop its own AI services utilizing its decentralized and encrypted Cocoon network.
The announcement of the partnership raised questions about why it was made in the first place, especially since Durov spoke of it as though it were finalized, only for xAI's CEO, Elon Musk, to reject it. Durov later explained that "formalities are pending," yet it was clear that the conversation about the partnership ended there. Given the importance of user data security for Telegram, this issue cannot simply be dismissed as a minor detail.
The debate continues on whether AI features are necessary for Telegram, with opinions split between those who believe they are essential and others who feel they could complicate the user experience.
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