X replaces chronological following feed with Grok AI algorithm

X has begun using its Grok artificial intelligence system to rank posts in users’ ‘Following’ feeds, moving away from the chronological timeline that has long been a central feature of the platform.

The update, rolled out in the latest version of the app, sorts posts based on predicted engagement and relevance. X owner Elon Musk announced the change last week, writing: “Posts of people you follow are now ranked by Grok. You can still access unfiltered chronological if you want.”

Under the new system, posts in the ‘Following’ tab are ordered using signals such as a user’s past interactions and topic preferences. While the impact may be minimal for users who follow fewer than 200 accounts, the change has been enabled by default for all.

Several users expressed concern that the shift could weaken the platform’s role as a real-time information feed. The platform now defaults to the ‘For You’ tab even if they previously closed the app on ‘Following’, signalling a stronger push toward its algorithm-driven timeline.

The move aligns with broader industry trends, as social platforms have sought to boost engagement by prioritising AI-curated feeds. However, some X users might argue that the change could affect how they track breaking news and live events on the platform and could create an AI-generated echo chamber similar to other social media platforms.