Elon Musk officially ends his role in the U.S. government’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk spent months pushing for cost-cutting measures but has now shifted his focus back to his ventures, including Tesla, SpaceX, and the AI projects under his social media platform, X.
What’s Happening & Why This Matters
Musk’s departure, confirmed by the White House, marks the end of his 130-day special government employee stint. He thanked President Donald Trump for the opportunity to reduce “wasteful spending” but expressed frustration over Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Musk said the bill contradicts DOGE’s goals by increasing government spending, joking, “I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful, but I don’t know if it can be both.”
Meanwhile, Musk’s AI company xAI partners with messaging giant Telegram to embed Grok AI directly into user chats. Telegram CEO Pavel Durov announced that this summer, Telegram users will access advanced AI tools for fact-checking, text editing, and more, powered by Grok. This integration promises to reshape how millions interact on Telegram by streamlining communication and enhancing content moderation.
Musk’s Departure From DOGE and Its Impact
Musk joined DOGE to cut $2 trillion in federal wasteful spending. The official tally now shows $175 billion saved, exceeding the revised $150 billion target. Yet, some savings are disputed due to the inclusion of previously canceled programs.
Sources indicate Musk’s offboarding began without a direct conversation with Trump. The decision was made by senior White House staff. Despite stepping back, Musk had planned to gradually reduce government involvement.
Tesla’s struggles with protests against Musk’s government role and a sales slump in early 2025 may have influenced his decision. Musk’s social media posts hint at renewed focus: “Back to spending 24/7 at work and sleeping in conference/server/factory rooms,” he shared, underscoring his intense schedule around Tesla, Starship launches, and AI development.
Grok AI: Telegram’s Next Big Upgrade
Telegram plans to embed Grok AI as the default assistant, featuring automatic text editing, chat summarization, and document analysis. Grok will moderate group chats, fact-check channel posts, and even generate stickers and avatars.
The year-long deal includes $300 million in cash and equity for Telegram, as well as a 50% revenue share on Grok subscription sales. Telegram emphasizes privacy, assuring users that data shared with Grok is limited to direct user interactions.
However, concerns linger over how much conversational data might be shared with xAI, especially in monitored channels. Telegram insists that privacy is paramount and states that its foundational features will remain free, with premium features supporting resource-intensive tools.
TF Summary: What’s Next
Elon Musk’s exit from DOGE signals a renewed focus on his core businesses and AI ambitions. Meanwhile, the Grok AI integration on Telegram introduces a powerful new way to enhance messaging with AI tools, though privacy debates continue.
Musk’s transition away from government work may free him to accelerate AI innovation with Grok, impacting how millions communicate daily. The partnership sets a new standard for AI’s role in social media platforms and messaging apps.
— Text-to-Speech (TTS) provided by gspeech