Musk promises to open-source X’s recommendation algorithm within a week
The X owner says the full code behind organic and advertising recommendations will be released and updated regularly, reviving a transparency pledge that critics say has fallen short in the past.
Elon Musk has said he will open-source the latest recommendation algorithm used by X within a week, reviving a long-running promise to show how content is selected for users’ feeds.
The pledge follows an earlier move in 2023, when Twitter, as it was then known, released parts of its feed-ranking code. That repository has seen little meaningful activity since, with most files dating back to the original upload. Critics have argued the release offered limited insight into how the platform actually works today.
Musk now says the new release will include all code used to determine which organic and advertising posts are recommended to users. He has also said this will not be a one-off disclosure. According to Musk, the repository will be updated every four weeks, with developer notes explaining what has changed between versions.
The announcement has been met with scepticism. Past commitments to open-source X and xAI projects have been unevenly followed through. Musk released Grok-1 in 2024, but xAI has since moved on to newer versions. The public Grok repository has not been updated for around two years.
Timing is also a factor. The statement comes as xAI faces criticism over Grok-generated deepfake nude images, prompting renewed scrutiny of the company’s approach to safety and governance. Observers have questioned whether the open-source promise is intended to deflect pressure rather than deliver lasting transparency.
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If delivered as described, the release could provide researchers and developers with a clearer view of how X shapes attention, engagement and advertising exposure. It may also help explain why many users complain that their feeds prioritise provocative or emotionally charged content.
Whether the promised updates will materialise remains an open question. Musk has made similar assurances before, only for public repositories to fall dormant. For now, the claim has reset expectations. The real test will come not with the initial release, but with evidence of regular, meaningful updates over time.
