More than five weeks into Operation Epic Fury, the U.S.-led military campaign against Iran that began Feb. 28, 2026, a range of advanced weapons has shaped the conflict’s deadly course. U.S. and allied forces have unleashed precision strikes on Iranian military targets, while Iran has responded with ballistic missiles, drones and air defenses that claimed at least one American aircraft.

Here are 10 of the most lethal weapons used so far, based on U.S. Central Command reports, independent analyses and public footage as of April 4. Lethality is assessed by destructive power, frequency of use, confirmed impacts and strategic effect.

1. Tomahawk Cruise Missiles The U.S. Navy has fired more than 850 Tomahawk land-attack missiles from destroyers and submarines since the campaign opened. These subsonic, GPS-guided weapons, capable of striking targets up to 1,000 miles away with 1,000-pound warheads, have devastated Iranian missile production facilities, naval vessels and command centers. Pentagon officials expressed alarm at the rapid depletion of stockpiles, with some describing the expenditure as “years’ worth” in just weeks. Tomahawks initiated many opening salvos and remain a backbone of standoff strikes.
2. Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) Used in combat for the first time, the Army’s PrSM extended-range rocket has delivered deep strikes from HIMARS and M270 launchers. With a range exceeding 400 kilometers and improved accuracy over its ATACMS predecessor, PrSM has targeted hardened sites. Controversy arose after reports linked a PrSM strike near Lamerd to civilian casualties, though U.S. officials denied hitting non-military areas. Its debut underscores the shift toward ground-launched precision fires.
3. F-35 Lightning II Stealth Fighters U.S. and Israeli F-35 variants have conducted hundreds of sorties, penetrating Iranian airspace with advanced sensors and munitions. Equipped with JDAMs and small-diameter bombs, these fifth-generation jets have suppressed air defenses and struck deeply buried targets. Their low-observable technology has been key to maintaining air superiority despite Iranian attempts at retaliation.
4. F-15E Strike Eagle The workhorse twin-seat fighter has flown extensive strike and suppression missions but suffered the first confirmed U.S. manned combat loss of the war on April 3. An F-15E was shot down over Iran, with one crew member rescued and search efforts continuing for the second. Earlier, three F-15Es were lost in a friendly-fire incident over Kuwait. The jet’s heavy payload and long range made it central to sustained operations.
5. MQ-9 Reaper Drones Armed with Hellfire missiles and guided bombs, Reaper unmanned aircraft have provided persistent intelligence, surveillance and strike capability. Operating from regional bases, they have targeted time-sensitive Iranian assets, including missile launchers and naval vessels, while minimizing risk to pilots.
6. HIMARS Rocket Systems The mobile M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System has launched salvos of guided rockets and PrSM missiles against Iranian ground targets. Its rapid mobility and precision have allowed U.S. forces to strike from safer distances, contributing to the destruction of hundreds of launchers and support infrastructure.
7. B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers These long-range bombers have dropped massive ordnance penetrators and other heavy munitions on deeply buried Iranian facilities, including missile production sites. Operating from distant bases, the B-2’s stealth and payload capacity enable strikes that conventional aircraft cannot easily replicate.
8. Iranian Ballistic Missiles (Fateh, Shahab and Sejjil variants) Iran has fired hundreds of ballistic missiles at U.S. bases, Israeli targets and Gulf allies. Systems like the Fateh family, Shahab-3 derivatives and solid-fuel Sejjil have inflicted damage despite heavy interception. While many were downed by Patriot and THAAD systems, successful strikes have caused casualties and highlighted Iran’s asymmetric deterrent.
9. Patriot and THAAD Air Defense Systems U.S. and allied Patriot MIM-104 and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) batteries have intercepted dozens of Iranian missiles and drones. These systems proved vital in protecting regional bases but have consumed significant stockpiles, raising concerns about sustained defense against prolonged barrages.
10. JDAM-Equipped Bombs and Hellfire Missiles As expensive standoff munitions depleted, U.S. forces shifted to Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) kits on unguided bombs and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles from aircraft and drones. Tens of thousands of JDAMs provide cost-effective precision for closer-range strikes, while Hellfires have been used extensively against vehicles, small boats and personnel.

The conflict has exposed vulnerabilities on both sides. U.S. forces achieved early air supremacy and degraded much of Iran’s navy and missile infrastructure, sinking dozens of vessels and destroying launchers. Iran, however, has adapted with cheaper drone swarms, older ballistic missiles and portable air defenses that downed the F-15E. Civilian casualties have been reported on both sides, with Iranian officials citing strikes near populated areas and U.S. forces noting proxy attacks on bases.

Munitions stockpiles have become a central concern. Rapid Tomahawk and interceptor expenditure has prompted Pentagon discussions about accelerating production. Analysts warn that prolonged fighting could strain supplies further, particularly for high-end systems.

The war’s human cost remains fluid. U.S. and Israeli strikes have targeted military sites, while Iranian responses have hit regional facilities. Exact casualty figures vary by source, but both sides acknowledge significant losses.

As operations continue into April, the balance of lethality favors U.S. precision and air power, yet Iran’s ability to sustain asymmetric attacks with lower-cost weapons complicates a swift resolution. The downing of the F-15E on April 3 served as a reminder that no platform is invulnerable in contested airspace.

Military experts note the campaign’s evolution from initial high-end strikes to a mix of standoff and stand-in weapons. B-2 bombers and carrier-based aircraft have maintained pressure, while ground systems like HIMARS extend reach inland.

The list reflects weapons with the greatest documented impact through early April 2026. New systems or tactics could emerge as the conflict progresses. Both sides continue to adapt, with U.S. forces emphasizing precision to minimize collateral damage and Iran relying on volume and concealment.

The ongoing war underscores the high cost of modern conflict, where advanced munitions deliver devastating effect but deplete rapidly. As diplomatic efforts remain stalled, these weapons will likely determine the campaign’s next phase.

We tend to build systems for the world we expect, not the one we repeatedly experience. AI in investing has followed a similar path. Most tools are designed around stable market conditions and treat disruption as an exception. That is the core flaw. In reality, volatility, regime shifts, and sudden dislocations are not rare events. They are recurring features of financial markets. When systems are not built for this, their usefulness drops precisely when investors need them the most.

This has led to a growing perception that AI struggles in volatile environments. The limitation, however, is not artificial intelligence itself. It lies in how these systems are designed and what they are trained on. Much of today’s AI relies on limited slices of history and narrow datasets, often placing too much weight on recent market behaviour because it is easier to process. Markets do not operate on short memory. Patterns emerge across cycles, regimes, and very different environments.

If AI systems are not exposed to diverse conditions, including periods of stress, regulatory change, and structural breaks, they cannot be expected to respond effectively when those conditions reappear. The paradox is clear. We expect AI to detect patterns beyond human capability, yet constrain it to the same limited datasets. This is where much of the perceived underperformance of AI in volatile markets originates.

The real opportunity lies not in prediction but in improving decision-making. AI should not be seen as a replacement for human judgment. It should be designed to enhance it. Financial markets are complex and adaptive, and no system can operate without interpretation and context. The strength of AI lies in processing large volumes of data, identifying non-obvious patterns, and surfacing insights that may otherwise be missed. These outputs are not decisions, but inputs.

This distinction becomes especially important in volatile markets, where blind reliance on any system can be risky. What investors need is not automated decisions, but better awareness. One of the most valuable applications of AI is in stress testing and scenario analysis. Investors often focus on predicting what will happen next. Losses, however, rarely come from a lack of prediction. They come from a lack of preparedness. The more important question is what happens if the view turns out to be wrong.

Understanding how a trade behaves under different conditions, such as spikes in volatility, sharp market moves, or breakdowns in correlation, can significantly improve outcomes. Traditionally, this kind of analysis has been difficult to do consistently because it requires time, data, and effort. AI changes this by enabling rapid simulation of multiple scenarios, challenging assumptions, and surfacing potential risks. It allows investors to think more rigorously about the downside, not just the upside. Most investors spend more time planning entries than exits under stress. AI can help correct that imbalance. Good AI does not just help you take trades. It helps you survive them.
For AI to be effective in such situations, it must also be adaptive in real time. Markets are influenced by a constant flow of information, including price movements, news, corporate actions, global events, and shifts in participation. AI systems need to continuously ingest and interpret these signals. Simultaneously, real-time data alone is not sufficient. The same event can have very different implications depending on the broader environment. A policy change or earnings result may be interpreted differently in a strong market compared to a fragile one. Adaptive systems must therefore go beyond detecting events and move towards interpreting them in context.In financial markets, information is abundant, but context is scarce. During regime changes, signals often conflict, and cause-and-effect relationships are not always clear. This is where human judgment remains critical. AI can surface insights, but deciding what matters and what action to take still requires interpretation.

The rise of retail participation makes this discussion even more relevant. India now has a large and increasingly active base of retail investors. This is no longer a passive segment. More individuals are engaging directly with markets, making independent decisions, and using technology as a core part of their workflow. AI has expanded access to capabilities that were once limited to institutions. However, access alone is not enough. Retail investors need reliable systems, meaningful context, and tools that go beyond generic solutions.

Used well, AI can significantly improve the quality of decision-making across this growing base. It is important to recognise that AI is an amplifier, not a replacement. It can enhance strengths and expand awareness, but it can also amplify mistakes if used without discipline. AI should therefore be viewed not as a standalone feature, but as an intelligence layer that supports discovery, analysis, execution, and learning. The focus should remain on ensuring that decision-making stays transparent, contextual, and ultimately driven by the investor.

The future of AI in investing will not be defined by how well it predicts markets, but by how effectively it helps investors navigate them. In volatile markets, the edge will not come from predicting the future. It will come from adapting to it faster and making better decisions in real time.

(Yashas Khoday is Co-founder & CPO at FYERS)

(Disclaimer: The recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times.)

The first quarter of the year has reminded investors that global markets are no longer operating in a low-volatility, liquidity-driven regime. Geopolitical tensions, particularly in the Middle East, sharp moves in crude oil, and persistent inflation concerns have reshaped risk appetite across asset classes.

As the world enters Q2, markets appear to be at an inflexion point. The question is no longer just about growth—but about the sustainability of valuations in a higher-rate, uncertain geopolitical environment.

Global Setup: Liquidity vs Geopolitics

Three global forces are likely to define Q2:

1. Sticky Inflation and Central Banks

While inflation has moderated from peaks, it remains above target in major economies. The U.S. Federal Reserve and other central banks are expected to stay cautious, delaying aggressive rate cuts. This keeps global liquidity tighter than what markets had priced in at the start of the year.

2. Energy Shock Risk

The ongoing geopolitical tensions have already driven a sharp rally in crude oil. Any further disruption—especially around key supply routes—could trigger another leg up in energy prices, feeding into inflation and pressuring corporate margins globally.

3. Volatile Capital Flows

With U.S. bond yields elevated, emerging markets—including India—face intermittent foreign outflows. This creates periodic stress in equities, currencies, and bond markets.

India: Relative Strength, Absolute Valuation Concerns

India continues to stand out as one of the strongest structural stories globally, supported by:
Robust domestic demand
Government-led capex
Strong banking system balance sheets

However, the near-term market narrative is becoming more nuanced.

Valuations are stretched in pockets.

Midcaps and smallcaps, in particular, are trading at premiums that leave little room for disappointment.

Earnings delivery becomes critical.

Q4 results and forward guidance will be key triggers in Q2. Markets may become more selective, rewarding earnings visibility over narratives.

Liquidity is the swing factor.

Domestic inflows remain strong, but FII behaviour—linked to global yields and risk sentiment—could drive volatility.

The JL Collins Lens: Why Investors Still Struggle

Amid this complex macro backdrop, the insights of JL Collins become even more relevant: investors often fail not because markets don’t deliver—but because their behaviour does not align with how markets work.

In Q2, this manifests in three ways:

1. Overreacting to Global Noise

Investors tend to respond aggressively to headlines—war developments, central bank signals, or commodity spikes—often making short-term decisions that hurt long-term returns.

2. Chasing Sectoral Momentum

Whether it is defence, railways, or global AI-driven tech rallies, investors frequently enter themes late in the cycle, exposing themselves to sharp corrections.

3. Mistaking Complexity for Strategy

In uncertain times, there is a tendency to over-diversify, over-trade, or adopt complex strategies, which often increase costs and reduce returns.

Q2 Playbook: What Should Investors Focus On?

1. Earnings Over Narratives

The market is transitioning from liquidity-driven rallies to earnings-driven performance. Companies with strong cash flows and pricing power are likely to outperform.

2. Asset Allocation Discipline

With uncertainty elevated, balanced allocation across equities, debt, and commodities becomes crucial rather than aggressive equity positioning.

3. Avoid Timing the Market

Volatility in Q2 is almost certain. Attempting to time entry and exit points could lead to missed opportunities or capital erosion.

4. Focus on Quality and Longevity

High-quality businesses with durable competitive advantages tend to navigate macro shocks better than speculative plays.

Key Risks to Watch in Q2

Escalation in geopolitical conflicts impacting oil supply
Delayed rate cuts by the Federal Reserve
Sharp rise in global bond yields
Earnings disappointments in overvalued segments
Sudden reversal in FII flows

The Edge Lies in Discipline, Not Prediction

As global and Indian markets navigate a complex Q2, the biggest risk for investors may not be macroeconomic uncertainty—but their own reactions to it.

History shows that markets reward discipline far more than prediction. In an environment where volatility is likely to remain elevated, the simplest strategies—staying invested, focusing on quality, and avoiding behavioural mistakes—may once again prove to be the most effective.

In a quarter driven by uncertainty, clarity of approach—not complexity of strategy—could be the real differentiator for investors.

(Disclaimer: The recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times.)

Major corporations and financial firms continued shifting operations and talent out of New York City in early 2026, with low-tax states like Florida and Texas emerging as prime destinations amid concerns over taxes, regulations and quality of life.

New York City lost nearly 5,000 businesses in the past year, according to reports from the city’s Economic Development Corporation and other analyses. While some relocations involve full headquarters moves, many involve significant expansions or talent shifts southward. Financial services firms, hedge funds and asset managers lead the trend, often described as the “Wall Street South” migration.

Here are 10 key reasons driving the departures, based on corporate statements, economic reports and expert analysis as of April 2026.

1. High Corporate and Personal Taxes New York imposes some of the nation’s highest combined state and city taxes. Top earners and corporations face marginal rates exceeding 10-14% in the city, compared with zero state income tax in Florida and Texas. Executives cite the ability to reduce tax burdens dramatically — sometimes by more than 15 percentage points — as a primary motivator. Recent proposals under Mayor Zohran Mamdani to raise taxes on high earners and corporations have accelerated planning for moves.
2. Onerous Regulations and Business Climate Companies complain of heavy bureaucracy, rent regulations, expanded city services and frequent policy shifts that increase compliance costs. New York ranks poorly in business-friendliness indexes. In contrast, Texas and Florida offer streamlined permitting, fewer labor mandates and pro-growth policies that appeal to executives seeking predictability.
3. Skyrocketing Operating and Real Estate Costs Commercial rents in Manhattan remain among the world’s highest, even after some post-pandemic softening. Combined with elevated utility, insurance and labor costs, the expense of maintaining large New York footprints has prompted firms to consolidate or shift non-essential functions. Relocating to Sun Belt cities can yield annual savings in the millions, according to relocation consultants.
4. Talent and Workforce Migration Remote work normalized during the pandemic, allowing employees to live anywhere. Many high-earning professionals have already relocated to lower-cost, lower-tax states. Companies follow talent to retain staff and attract new hires. JPMorgan Chase now employs more people in Texas than in New York, while Goldman Sachs is building a major Dallas campus expected to house thousands.
5. Quality of Life and Safety Concerns Persistent issues with crime, homelessness and urban disorder in parts of the city have eroded appeal for both executives and employees. Families and workers cite better schools, lower density and improved public safety in destination states. Post-election rhetoric around progressive policies has heightened perceptions of instability.
6. Aggressive Incentives from Competing States Florida and Texas actively court New York firms with tax breaks, infrastructure support and marketing campaigns. Palm Beach County and Dallas-Fort Worth have positioned themselves as “Wall Street South,” offering tailored packages. Dozens of New York companies filed to expand or relocate to Florida shortly after the 2025 mayoral election.
7. Remote and Hybrid Work Flexibility The post-COVID shift reduced the necessity of full-time Manhattan presence. Firms can maintain client-facing offices in New York while moving back-office, technology and support functions to lower-cost locations. This hybrid model preserves some New York ties while cutting overhead.
8. Political and Policy Uncertainty Mayor Mamdani’s pledges to increase taxes on corporations and the wealthy, along with broader progressive agendas in Albany and City Hall, have created unease. Business leaders describe an “anti-business” environment that contrasts with the stability offered in Republican-led states. Hedge funds and asset managers like Apollo Global Management have scouted second headquarters in the Sun Belt.
9. Talent Pool Growth in Sun Belt Cities Texas and Florida have built robust ecosystems for finance, technology and professional services. Dallas has surpassed New York in some financial job postings. Companies report easier recruitment and retention in these growing markets, where younger professionals prefer lifestyle advantages and affordability.
10. Long-Term Strategic Diversification Firms seek to reduce geographic risk by spreading operations. Maintaining a New York presence for prestige and client access while building significant hubs elsewhere protects against local shocks. Examples include Elliott Management, Citadel, AllianceBernstein and others that have shifted substantial assets and personnel southward, moving trillions in managed funds over time.

Notable moves and expansions underscore the trend. Goldman Sachs plans a major Dallas campus opening in 2028. JPMorgan Chase has grown its Texas workforce dramatically. Wells Fargo opened a Dallas campus and shifted wealth management functions toward Florida. Apollo Global Management explored second headquarters options in Texas or South Florida in early 2026.

Economic analyses show New York lost hundreds of companies and billions in taxable income between 2020 and 2024, with the pace continuing into 2026. IRS migration data and reports from the Partnership for New York City highlight the shift, with Florida receiving the largest share of relocating firms.

City and state officials have pushed back, pointing to investments like American Express’s new World Trade Center headquarters and ongoing financial sector strength. Yet business groups warn that proposed tax hikes could worsen the exodus, reducing the tax base and straining budgets for services.

The departures affect high-paying jobs in finance, which have historically anchored New York’s economy. While the city retains a massive concentration of Wall Street activity, the gradual hollowing out of corporate headquarters and back-office functions raises long-term concerns about revenue and vitality.

Experts note the trend is not unique to New York — high-tax coastal cities face similar pressures — but the scale in the nation’s largest city draws particular attention. Remote work, post-pandemic lifestyle shifts and stark policy differences between blue and red states have amplified the movement.

For companies still in New York, decisions often involve partial relocations rather than complete exits, preserving brand presence while cutting costs. Smaller firms and startups also cite barriers to growth, contributing to the net loss of thousands of businesses.

As the trend continues, destination cities celebrate job gains and investment. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson predicted an “avalanche” of financial firms fleeing New York policies. Florida officials report surges in inquiries and filings from New York entities.

New York leaders face a balancing act: addressing budget shortfalls without accelerating outflows. Proposals to reduce fines and fees for small businesses represent one response, but broader tax and regulatory reforms remain contentious.

The 2026 landscape reflects deeper structural changes in how and where companies operate. High taxes, regulations and quality-of-life factors have tipped the scales for many executives, prompting strategic shifts that could reshape economic power centers for years.

Whether the exodus slows depends on policy choices in New York and continued appeal of Sun Belt alternatives. For now, the data shows a clear pattern: big companies are voting with their feet, seeking environments that better align with growth and stability priorities.

Elon Musk on Friday praised his artificial intelligence company xAI’s Grok model for its growing ability to craft sophisticated prompts that produce higher-quality images and videos, amplifying a user’s tip in a post that quickly drew more than 1.6 million views.

In the message posted at 7:24 p.m. EDT on April 3, Musk responded to a video demonstration shared by venture capitalist Justine Moore, a partner at Andreessen Horowitz focused on AI investments. Moore had explained how she starts with simple ideas, feeds them to Grok for refinement, then iterates with the chatbot before generating final visuals using Grok’s Imagine feature. “You end up with something much more detailed!” she wrote.

Musk’s concise reply — “Grok can help you come up with great prompts for images and videos” — underscored xAI’s push to make advanced AI image and video generation more accessible to everyday users by automating the often tedious process of prompt engineering. The post, which quoted Moore’s video, triggered an outpouring of user examples and enthusiasm within hours, with replies showcasing everything from cinematic sci-fi scenes to custom memes and animated characters.

The timing aligns with rapid advancements in Grok Imagine, xAI’s multimodal generation tool integrated directly into the Grok chatbot. Launched in late 2025 and iteratively improved through 2026, Grok Imagine leverages the latest Grok large language model to interpret natural-language instructions and produce photorealistic or stylized visuals and short video clips. Unlike earlier versions that sometimes required highly technical prompts, the system now excels when users leverage Grok itself as a collaborative “prompt coach.”

Industry analysts say the feature addresses a longstanding pain point in generative AI. Prompt engineering — the craft of writing precise instructions for tools like OpenAI’s DALL-E, Midjourney or Stability AI — has become a specialized skill, often demanding trial-and-error sessions that frustrate casual users. By turning Grok into an intelligent assistant that refines vague ideas into detailed, optimized prompts, xAI is lowering the barrier for high-quality output.

Moore’s original video illustrated the workflow: a basic request such as “futuristic city at dusk” is fed to Grok, which expands it with cinematic lighting details, camera angles, color palettes and compositional elements before the refined prompt is used in Imagine. The resulting images and short clips demonstrated dramatic improvements in coherence, artistic flair and adherence to the user’s intent.

Within minutes of Musk’s post, X users flooded the replies with their own creations. One shared a hyper-detailed retro-futurist scene generated after Grok helped craft the prompt. Another posted a video of an animated character singing, created after Grok suggested enhancements to motion and facial expressions. Several users described uploading existing artwork to Grok and asking it to reverse-engineer similar prompts, then tweaking them for fresh variations.

The engagement underscored Grok’s rapid adoption since its public rollout. Available to X Premium subscribers and free users with daily limits, Grok Imagine has positioned xAI as a direct competitor to established players in the generative AI space. Musk has repeatedly emphasized that Grok is designed to be “maximally truth-seeking” and less censored than rivals, allowing broader creative freedom for users exploring edgy, humorous or unconventional concepts.

xAI, founded by Musk in 2023, has accelerated development of its models with the goal of understanding the universe — a mission that extends to creative tools like Imagine. The company’s Memphis supercluster, one of the world’s largest AI training facilities, powers the latest Grok iterations, enabling faster inference and higher-resolution outputs. Recent updates have focused on video generation, allowing users to create short looping clips or simple animations directly from text.

Experts note that Grok’s prompt-refinement capability reflects a broader industry trend toward agentic AI — systems that don’t just execute commands but actively collaborate. OpenAI and Google have introduced similar prompt-assistance features in their tools, but Musk’s endorsement on X, the platform he owns, gave the announcement outsized visibility.

The post arrived amid heightened scrutiny of AI-generated content. Concerns about deepfakes, copyright infringement and the displacement of human artists have grown as tools become more powerful. Yet supporters argue that features like Grok’s prompt helper democratize creativity, empowering non-artists to produce professional-grade work for marketing, education, entertainment and personal projects.

User feedback in the thread highlighted practical applications. One X user described using Grok to generate prompts for game development assets, speeding up prototyping. Another employed it for recipe illustrations, turning cooking instructions into visual step-by-step guides. A third showcased a custom ship design for a sci-fi project, crediting Grok’s suggestions for achieving the desired level of detail and atmosphere.

Musk’s involvement in the conversation fits his pattern of directly engaging with the X community to showcase xAI products. He has frequently used the platform to announce Grok updates, share generated images and solicit user feedback. The April 3 post follows a series of 2026 enhancements to Grok Imagine, including improved consistency in character appearance across multiple images and better handling of complex scene composition.

Broader context reveals intense competition in the AI image and video sector. OpenAI’s Sora video model and Anthropic’s Claude-powered tools have drawn attention for photorealism, while Midjourney continues to dominate artistic communities on Discord. xAI differentiates itself through tight integration with the Grok chatbot, real-time iteration and Musk’s vision of “uncensored” creativity.

Financial implications for xAI are significant. The company, valued at tens of billions after recent funding rounds, is betting that seamless multimodal tools will drive subscriber growth on X and attract enterprise clients. Grok’s availability on X Premium tiers has already boosted platform engagement, with users sharing viral creations that keep the algorithm active.

Critics, however, question the environmental cost of training and running such models, which consume massive electricity and water resources. xAI has defended its approach by emphasizing efficient inference and renewable energy sourcing at its data centers.

As the post continued circulating into Saturday, April 4, reactions ranged from excitement about creative possibilities to calls for even more advanced features. Some users requested Grok integration for tax preparation or mundane tasks, illustrating the public’s growing expectation that AI handle increasingly complex workflows.

Musk did not reply further in the thread as of early Saturday, but the initial message had already sparked thousands of replies and reposts. The high engagement — more than 5,000 likes and nearly 1,000 reposts within hours — signals continued strong interest in xAI’s consumer-facing products.

Looking ahead, analysts expect xAI to roll out additional multimodal upgrades later in 2026, potentially including longer video generation and real-time collaborative editing. Musk has hinted at ambitions for Grok to rival or surpass leading models across text, image, video and audio domains.

For now, the April 3 post serves as a practical demonstration of Grok’s evolving utility. By showing how the AI can elevate simple ideas into detailed creative briefs, Musk and xAI are positioning Grok not merely as a chatbot but as a creative partner capable of unlocking artistic potential for millions.

The development arrives at a pivotal moment for generative AI. As tools grow more sophisticated, the ability to harness them effectively — through smart prompting — may determine which platforms capture the most users. Musk’s endorsement, delivered on the world’s largest social network, amplifies that message and underscores xAI’s aggressive push into everyday creativity.

Whether Grok’s prompt assistance becomes a standard feature across competitors or remains a distinctive edge for xAI users will shape the next chapter of the AI image and video boom. For the moment, the viral post has given thousands of creators a fresh reason to experiment with Grok Imagine and discover what detailed prompts can achieve.

Starting your investment journey early is one of the most important financial decisions you can make. However, many first-time investors—especially students, interns and young professionals—often face a common dilemma: should they invest through a systematic investment plan (SIP) or opt for a lumpsum approach?

This confusion becomes even more relevant when the investment amount is modest, such as Rs 10,000. Choosing the right strategy at the beginning can help build discipline and set the foundation for long-term wealth creation.

Also Read | Which mutual fund should you add for 15 year SIPs? Expert breaks down multicap vs factor funds

The same is the case with an intern and a viewer of The Money Show on ET Now. She is confused about doing an SIP or a lump sum investment. She has accumulated some Rs 10,000 that she wants to invest, which is the first step of investment.

Addressing this query, financial expert Harshvardhan Roongta emphasised that beginning early, even with a small amount, is a strong positive step. “It is very nice in fact to see an intern look to invest whatever she has accumulated during her internship. It is a very positive step, and my congratulations to you for looking at starting your financial journey right from the internship,” the expert said.

He noted that for someone at the start of their investment journey, SIP is generally the more suitable route compared to lumpsum investing. He further cautioned to avoid lumpsum at this juncture.
According to him, SIP helps investors gradually enter the market and reduces the risk of investing all the money at once during volatile phases. For a beginner, this approach also builds financial discipline and removes the need to time the market.
For instance, instead of investing the entire Rs 10,000 in one go, an investor can spread the amount through an SIP of Rs 1,000 per month over 10 months. This ensures that the money gets deployed across different market levels, helping average out the cost of investment.
Roongta also suggested that beginners can consider starting with a simple and low-cost option such as an index fund, like those tracking the Sensex or similar benchmarks. Index funds offer broad market exposure and are easier to understand for new investors compared to actively managed funds.

“This is your first step into the markets, so please invest only via SIP. You can pick an index fund such an HDFC, BSE, Sensex index fund, to start this journey. You want to invest Rs 10,000. You can do an SIP of 1,000 for 10 months, so that will be your investment, the application that you will make with the AMC, the expert said.

He further highlighted the importance of staying invested for the long term. Since equity investments are market-linked and can be volatile in the short term, investors should ideally have a time horizon of at least 8–10 years to benefit from compounding and market growth.

Also Read | Nearly 176 debt funds offer returns over FDs in 2 years. Should investors rethink allocation?

The key takeaway for first-time investors is to focus less on timing the market and more on building a consistent investment habit. Starting with SIPs, even in small amounts, can go a long way in creating wealth over time while also helping investors navigate market ups and downs more effectively.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

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