Musk intends to improve X's posts timeline and switch ad recommendations to Grok

Billionaire Elon Musk says they plan to improve X’s timeline, which could mean users will generally see better content recommendations and experiences regularly.

He added that they will be moving ad recommendations onto the same AI system that already optimizes organic posts for users’ interests. Earlier this month, in an X space session, Musk had hinted he intends to turn X into the top advertising platform globally, using Grok, which he described as the “smartest in the world” based on benchmark scores.

X organic posts are still stagnating at pre-acquisition figures

In a Sunday X post, Musk confirmed, “You should notice rapid improvements in the quality of your timeline almost every week, but there will be two steps forward and one step back at times. We are also switching advertising recommendations to use the same Grok/AI system as organic posts, so the quality of ads will get radically better.”

In Musk’s view, Grok is a big leap from what he described as Twitter’s old “somewhat random” in its ad targeting. However, since the Tesla founder took over the platform, concerns over brand safety have become a key factor in why advertisers left, amid looser ad placement policies and public disputes with critics.  

Some advertisers rejoined X following the 2024 election, but revenue still lags behind pre-acquisition figures. X recorded around 100 million original posts per day in 2023, and current activity levels still hover near that mark, hinting at some stagnation. Nonetheless, Musk hopes that smarter AI-driven targeting and safer ad placements will improve the platform. 

In an earlier update, the billionaire stated that he planned to launch a system that scans posts, replies, quotes, and reposts to predict what each user is interested in. Back then. Musk noted that the shift was a fix for lesser-known creators whose high-quality posts don’t get traction, promising that AI will bring worthy content to the surface, independent of follower numbers. He explained users will be able to ask Grok to modify their feed preferences at any time, for a brief adjustment or a lasting one. 

Ideally, the new system would help surface posts from small creators to the right audiences and enhance overall engagement. But for users who browse a hand-picked, chronological timeline, the impact might go unnoticed.

So far, X has already restricted emoji use and banned hashtags in ads, and introduced an “aesthetic score” that lowers costs for well-designed creatives. However, critics have questioned the aesthetic score, suggesting it may be influenced more by Musk’s personal preference than by proven metrics.

AI transforms ads and monetization on X

X is also rolling out AI-powered Dynamic Product Ads that surface products relevant to individual users. Musk is also looking to integrate ads into Grok chatbot answers, based on user queries. In the future, campaigns might run entirely under Grok’s management after advertisers upload their creative assets.

By deploying Grok’s AI, X can deliver hyper-targeted campaigns to advertisers, as well as support smaller creators with access to specialized audiences, potentially revolutionizing the way engagement and monetization operate across the platform.

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