What Actually Happened?
On July 24, 2026, xAI announced that Grok's companion mode and its 3D avatars were being retired. Two independent write-ups give that date: AI Companion Guides, which tracked the story through an update on August 14, and Layer3 Labs, which added a note to its Grok companion guide.
The feature launched in July 2025 and grew from a few characters to include Ani, Mika, Valentine, Rudi and, according to AI Companion Guides, Kai in April 2026. Android support arrived in 2026. Access required a SuperGrok subscription at $30 a month or $300 a year.
According to the August 14 update, removal was rolling out account by account three weeks after the announcement. Some users had lost the avatars while others still found Ani in the app.
What Do We Still Not Know?
Quite a lot, and it is worth being plain about it.
- No official shutdown date had been published as of the August 14 coverage. One source later added a note that the date had arrived, but gave no detail we could verify.
- What happens to existing chats is not clearly answered in the coverage we found.
- Whether subscribers receive refunds or credits for companion access was not documented.
- Whether any companion features return inside another xAI product is unconfirmed.
We could not retrieve xAI's own announcement, so the date and wording come from the two secondary sources above. Confirm against xAI's notices before relying on any detail.
Why Does This Matter Beyond Grok?
Because it is the clearest recent example of a pattern that has now repeated across the category. A companion is a product decision, and the provider can change or end it.
ThotChat AI shut down in December 2025 with no warning and no data export, which we covered in what happened to ThotChat AI. Replika removed adult roleplay from existing accounts in February 2023 without notice, covered in is Replika safe?. Regulators are also moving, as tracked in our AI companion laws 2026 guide. The lesson is to favour providers with a track record and to keep anything you cannot lose outside the app.
What Does This Mean If You Use Grok's Companions?
1. Do not renew SuperGrok for companions alone. The $30 includes all of Grok, but if Ani is the reason you pay, the reason is going away. 2. Avoid the $300 annual plan if companions are the draw. 3. Save what you value from your chats, such as screenshots or notes, since export options are unclear. 4. Check your own account. Removal has not been uniform, so what you see may differ from other users. 5. Treat the next companion the same way. Pick providers that have run for years, not months.
Where Can You Go Instead?
No platform replicates Ani's animated avatar, voice, memory and affection levels all at once, but several cover pieces of it at lower prices. Our full comparison is in Grok Ani alternatives 2026. The short version is below.
Also Worth Exploring
Avatar lip-sync voice, proactive messaging and the strongest memory tested, from $12.99 a month. Living Memory is top-tier only
Real phone-style calls and AI-initiated calling, free to start with voice included
Lip-sync video calls across six AI models from about $4 a month annual
Three-layer emotional memory with proactive messaging and natural voice, SFW only
Unlimited free chat with no credit card, if the $30 price was the problem
Live video with real-time reactive facial expressions, the closest on animated presence
Real-time digital human video and a digital twin from one photo, early-stage with limited public validation
FAQs
Is Grok Ani being shut down?
xAI announced on July 24, 2026 that it is retiring companion mode and the 3D avatars, rolling removal out account by account. The most recent coverage we found had no official shutdown date, so check your own account.
When does Grok companion mode end?
No official date had been published in the coverage dated August 14, 2026. One later update suggested the date had passed but gave no verifiable detail.
Do I need SuperGrok to use Ani?
Under xAI's stated terms, companions required a paid SuperGrok subscription at $30 a month or $300 a year, and a cheaper $10 Lite tier is reported not to include them.
What happens to my Ani chat history?
The coverage we found did not answer this clearly. Save anything you value from your chats and check xAI's notices.
What are the best alternatives to Grok Ani?
Darlink AI for memory and avatar voice, Secret Desires AI for real calls, JOI AI for animated video calls and Selira AI for free access. See Grok Ani alternatives 2026 for the full ranking.
Sources
- AI Companion Guides, "Grok Companion Mode Is Being Retired," updated August 14, 2026, with a later update noting the date had arrived.
- Layer3 Labs, "Grok AI Girlfriend: Ani, Setup, Cost, and Safety," updated August 14, 2026.
- AI Companion Guides, "Grok Companions 2026," for the Android rollout and character list.
- Find AI Boyfriend, for the SuperGrok Lite exclusion and age-check description.
xAI's own announcement was not retrievable at the time of writing. Verify the date and terms with xAI. This page contains affiliate links for the alternatives listed, and we earn commission at no cost to you.
