In a massive move to dominate the generative media space, xAI officially launched the Grok Imagine API for developers on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.
The launch positions Grok as a direct competitor to OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo by offering state-of-the-art video and image generation directly via a high-performance RESTful interface. This release follows xAI’s record-breaking $20 billion Series E funding round earlier this month, which is fueling the expansion of its Colossus supercomputer clusters.
1. Capabilities: Beyond Static Images
The Grok Imagine API is designed for “lightning-fast” creation, moving beyond the static “Aurora” model into full multimodal production.
- Video Generation: Developers can now programmatically generate high-fidelity video from text prompts. The API supports a range of durations, from quick 6-second clips to longer, high-quality sequences.
- Multimodal Editing: The API includes Video Edits and Image Edits endpoints, allowing for iterative refinement of AI-generated content.
- Included Audio: Mirroring the consumer experience, the API can natively generate audio cues that sync with the visual output.
- Latency Advantage: Powered by the Colossus I & II supercomputers, xAI claims its Imagine API offers the lowest latency in the industry for enterprise-grade video rendering.
2. Developer Integration & SDKs
xAI has prioritized ease of migration, making the API compatible with existing industry standards.
| Feature | Implementation Details (Jan 2026) |
| Endpoint | https://api.x.ai/v1/videos/generations & /images/generations |
| SDK Compatibility | Fully compatible with OpenAI SDKs; simple URL and API key swap. |
| Response Formats | Supports url (managed storage) or b64_json for direct image bytes. |
| Model ID | grok-2-image-1212 (for images); grok-imagine-video-1 (for video). |
3. Pricing Structure
The Imagine API follows a “pay-per-gen” model, distinct from the token-based pricing used for Grok’s text models.
- Image Generation: Priced at $0.07 per image.
- Video Generation: Pricing is tiered based on resolution and quality (Economy vs. Studio), with rates starting at competitive enterprise levels.
- Batch Processing: A new Batch API allows developers to submit large-scale generation tasks at a 50% discount for non-urgent processing.
4. Safety & Ethical Safeguards
The launch comes amid heavy scrutiny regarding Grok’s “unfiltered” nature. In early January 2026, xAI faced backlash over nonconsensual imagery generated on the X platform.
- Stronger Filters: The API includes updated guardrails to prevent the creation of illegal content or sexualized images of real people.
- Copyright Protection: To avoid legal disputes with major studios (like Disney and Universal), the API has enhanced “brand-safe” filters to prevent the generation of trademarked characters.
Conclusion: Transforming Creative Workflows
The Grok Imagine API marks xAI’s transition from a chatbot provider to a full-stack media production partner. By combining the “wit and humor” of Grok’s reasoning with professional-grade video tools, xAI is targeting industries ranging from gaming and marketing to automated movie production. As Elon Musk recently predicted, the goal is for Grok to produce “watchable AI movies” by the end of 2026—and this API is the foundation for that vision.
