Elon Musk joins Microsoft’s Build event virtually to announce Grok’s new cloud hosting deal with Microsoft Azure, amidst legal tensions.
Elon Musk, who is currently embroiled in a legal battle with Microsoft, made a surprising virtual appearance at the software giant’s annual Build conference on May 19, 2025. In his appearance, Musk unveiled an exciting partnership: his AI company, xAI, will host its Grok chatbot on Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform. This announcement came despite Musk’s ongoing lawsuit against Microsoft and OpenAI, the company he co-founded but is now in conflict with over AI developments.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella welcomed Musk during a pre-recorded segment, emphasizing the importance of the Grok partnership. Musk’s decision to integrate Grok with Azure marks a significant development, as it places his AI models alongside other leading technologies such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Meta’s AI models, and several European and Chinese competitors.
This partnership comes on the heels of recent controversies surrounding Grok. Just days before the conference, xAI had to address an issue where Grok’s chatbot had repeatedly brought up sensitive and controversial topics related to South African politics. Musk did not address this issue during the Build conference but reiterated his commitment to honesty in AI development, stating, “We have and will make mistakes, but we aspire to correct them very quickly.”
Musk’s appearance at the event was particularly striking given the tense legal circumstances. Musk is currently suing Microsoft, accusing the company of improperly using his contributions to OpenAI in the creation of its AI models. Microsoft, for its part, continues to partner with OpenAI and other AI companies, positioning Azure as a hub for the industry’s leading technologies.
Protests Disrupt Build Conference
The Build conference was also marred by protests from Microsoft employees critical of the company’s collaboration with the Israeli government. Protestors interrupted Nadella’s introductory speech, accusing Microsoft of complicity in Israeli military actions. Nadella remained calm during the protest and continued his presentation after the demonstrators were escorted out. Microsoft later acknowledged that it had provided AI services to the Israeli military but asserted that no evidence had been found linking its Azure platform to harm in Gaza.
The conference also saw Microsoft-owned GitHub launch a new AI coding assistant aimed at easing programming tasks. This move, alongside the controversial partnership with Grok, signals Microsoft’s continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of AI development.
The Future of AI: Musk’s Vision
Despite the controversies and ongoing lawsuits, Musk’s virtual appearance at the Build conference underscores the growing influence of his AI ventures. The Grok partnership with Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform is poised to have a lasting impact on the competitive landscape of artificial intelligence. As Musk continues to push forward with his vision for AI, it remains to be seen how his legal battles and partnerships will shape the future of the industry.