X launches Grok-powered custom feeds for Premium subscribers, shuts down Communities feature

X has released Grok-powered Custom Timelines for Premium subscribers on iOS, allowing users to pin AI-curated feeds from over 75 specific topics to their home tab. The company calls it one of the "biggest changes" to the platform to date.

How it works

According to X, the custom timelines don't use traditional signals like keywords or hashtags. Instead, Grok reads every post, analyzes its content, and applies topic labels. The feature is powered by AI models from xAI, which acquired X in 2025.

Users can pin up to 10 custom feeds alongside their "For You" and "Following" tabs. The feeds appear by tapping the plus (+) sign to the right of existing tabs on the home screen. Android support is planned but not yet available.

All Premium subscription tiers have access to the feature, which is currently iOS-only.

Available topics

The initial 75+ categories span broad subjects including Business & Finance, Technology, Politics, Science, Movies & TV, and Gaming. Sports categories break down into specific options like Formula 1, MMA & wrestling, cricket, and e-sports.

Tech-focused feeds include dedicated categories for Artificial Intelligence, Cryptocurrency, robotics, software development, and biotech. Pop culture options cover K-pop, J-pop, concerts, fashion, and podcasts.

News-related feeds lead with Iran Conflict, Crime, and Elections at the top of suggestions.

Communities shutdown

The launch coincides with X shutting down Communities, a feature that allowed member-based groups around topics but saw declining usage. X head of product Nikita Bier announced the company is instead expanding group chat support to 350 members with joinable public links.

Monetization implications

Testing revealed ads appearing in the second position of each custom feed, suggesting X has created additional ad inventory. This matters for a platform whose ad business has reportedly struggled since Elon Musk's acquisition, though reports on recovery remain conflicting.

Content curation concerns

While Grok was designed to be "truth-seeking" and politically neutral, the model has previously been criticized for amplifying misinformation and skewing right. Testing of the custom feeds showed content drawn from a range of outlets including ABC, Reuters, BBC, The Atlantic, Bloomberg, and Al Jazeera without obvious political bias.

X also launched a "Snooze Topics" feature for the For You feed, allowing Premium subscribers to temporarily filter out specific subjects.

What this means

X is doubling down on AI-powered personalization through xAI integration while moving away from community-based organization. The custom feeds represent a new revenue opportunity through expanded ad placements, but success depends on whether users prefer topical feeds over algorithmic timelines. The shift mirrors broader platform trends toward AI curation, following Bluesky's similar custom feed efforts.