AI WORLD HQRead the Room on X: Summarise Public Opinion with Grok
Use Grok's real-time view of X to grasp the main arguments and mood around a trending topic in a few minutes.
By the end of this guide, you'll be able to open Grok, ask it to summarise what people on X are saying about a trending topic, and walk away with the main viewpoints, common arguments, and overall mood in just a few minutes. It's for anyone who wants to understand public reaction to a news story without scrolling through hundreds of posts by hand.
💡 Tip: tap a step’s number when you finish it — a green tick appears and your browser remembers how far you got.
- An X account (the one linked to your Grok access). Free X accounts can use Grok with daily limits; X Premium and Premium+ give you more messages and access to newer Grok models.
- Access to Grok — through the X app on iOS or Android, the X website, or grok.com in a browser. They're the same AI underneath.
- A trending topic in mind — a news event, a product launch, a sports moment, anything that's getting a lot of conversation right now.
- About 5 minutes to run through the steps the first time.
One honest note before we start: Grok reads what's publicly posted on X. It won't show you private accounts, deleted posts, or reactions from other platforms like TikTok or Reddit. Treat its summary as a starting point, not the final word.
Open Grok on the place you already use
Open the X app on your phone and tap the centre button in the bottom navigation bar — it's labelled Grok and usually shows a small sparkle or wave icon. If you're on a computer, go to grok.com in your browser, or open X on the web and click the Grok option in the left-hand menu. A chat screen appears with a friendly greeting and a text box at the bottom.
If you don't see Grok in the bottom bar, your X app may need an update — open the App Store or Google Play and update the X app, then look again. On older versions, the button may be under the More menu.
You'll know it worked when you can see a chat-style screen with a blinking cursor in a message box, ready for you to type.
Turn on real-time access to X
In the chat box, look for a small globe icon, a "Search" toggle, or a label that says "Use X posts" or "Real-time". Tap or switch it on so Grok reads fresh posts from X rather than only its general knowledge. On grok.com this is usually a toggle just above the text box. Inside the X app, it may appear as a small chip you can tap before sending.
If you can't find the toggle, don't worry — simply ask Grok in your message to use recent X posts and it will usually do so on its own.
You'll know it worked when the toggle is highlighted or coloured in, and Grok's reply mentions specific posts or accounts from X.
Ask Grok to summarise the conversation
Tap the message box and type a clear, plain-English question. Be specific about the topic, the time frame, and what you want to know. The clearer your instruction (prompt), the better the summary. Press the arrow or send button to send it.
Grok will think for a few seconds, then write back a structured answer. Because you've turned on X access, it'll pull from recent posts rather than guessing.
You'll know it worked when Grok replies with a written summary that mentions posts, accounts, or quotes from X — not a generic definition.
Ask for the three things you actually want
Most readers want three things from a summary: the main viewpoints, the common arguments, and the overall mood. If Grok's first reply doesn't cover all three, ask a follow-up in the same chat. Grok remembers the conversation, so you can refine instead of starting over.
Press enter or tap send again. A new reply appears underneath the previous one, building on the same topic.
You'll know it worked when you can see clearly labelled sections or bullet points for viewpoints, arguments, and mood — or a single paragraph that covers all three.
Quote and verify before you share
Scroll through the reply and look for quotation marks, post handles, or small links next to claims. Tap any link to open the original X post in a new tab so you can read it yourself. If a number or quote feels surprising, ask Grok to back it up.
If a link doesn't open, or you can't see any links at all, ask Grok directly to show its sources. This is the most important habit: a summary is only useful if you can check it.
You'll know it worked when you can click at least one link and see the original post that Grok is referring to.
Save the summary for later
When the reply looks good, look for a copy icon (two overlapping squares) or a share icon at the bottom of Grok's reply. Tap it to copy the text to your clipboard, then paste it into a note, email, or document. On grok.com you can also click the download or bookmark icon to save the whole conversation.
If you want to come back to it later, your chat history with Grok is available on the same screen — just open the sidebar or history list and tap the conversation title.
You'll know it worked when the text is in your clipboard, your notes app, or your saved conversations list, ready to re-read.
- Asking a fuzzy question. "What's happening on X?" is too vague. Add the topic, the date, and what you want — Grok performs much better with specific prompts.
- Forgetting to turn on X access. Without it, Grok may answer from general knowledge and miss the live conversation. If the reply feels generic, go back to Step 2 and check the toggle.
- Trusting the summary without checking. Grok can misread sarcasm, mix up sides, or pick unrepresentative posts. Always click at least one source link before you repeat the claim to someone else.
Open Grok, turn on X access, and ask: "Summarise what people on X are saying about [one trending topic you already know about]. Give me the main viewpoints and the overall mood." Then click one source link and see if the summary matches reality.
❓ Quick questions
How long does this take?
About 6 minutes — the guide has 6 steps, and you can tick each one off as you go.
Which tool do I need?
This guide uses xAI Grok — but the approach works very similarly in other AI assistants.
Do I need to prepare anything?
- An X account (the one linked to your Grok access). Free X accounts can use Grok with daily limits; X Premium and Premium+ give you more messages and access to newer Grok models.
- Access to Grok — through the X app on iOS or Android, the X website, or grok.com in a browser. They're the same AI underneath.
- A trending topic in mind — a news event, a product launch, a sports moment, anything that's getting a lot of conversation right now.
- About 5 minutes to run through the steps the first time.
One honest note before we start: Grok reads what's publicly posted on X. It won't show you private accounts, deleted posts, or reactions from other platforms like TikTok or Reddit. Treat its summary as a starting point, not the final word.
What mistakes should I avoid?
- Asking a fuzzy question. "What's happening on X?" is too vague. Add the topic, the date, and what you want — Grok performs much better with specific prompts.
- Forgetting to turn on X access. Without it, Grok may answer from general knowledge and miss the live conversation. If the reply feels generic, go back to Step 2 and check the toggle.
- Trusting the summary without checking. Grok can misread sarcasm, mix up sides, or pick unrepresentative posts. Always click at least one source link before you repeat the claim to someone else.
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✦ Original step-by-step guide by AI World HQ's AI editorial team. Written in plain language, reviewed for accuracy.
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