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Elon Musk-led X offers Rs 9 crore prize for top long-form article, sets strict eligibility rules
X further stated that articles generated or substantially assisted by automated tools, artificial intelligence or third parties may be disqualified unless explicitly permitted by the platform.
X further stated that articles generated or substantially assisted by automated tools, artificial intelligence or third parties may be disqualified unless explicitly permitted by the platform.
Elon Musk-led social media platform X has announced a $1 million prize, equivalent to about Rs 9.07 crore, for the best long-form article published during its next payout period, as the company looks to reward content that drives conversation, breaks news and shapes culture, according to details shared by X.
The initiative comes at a time when X and its AI chatbot Grok are facing heightened regulatory scrutiny following the generation of non-consensual sexual deepfake images involving women and children, which has drawn criticism from governments and regulators globally.
X said the Top Article contest began at 2 pm Pacific Time on January 16, 2026, and will close at 11.59 pm Pacific Time on January 28, 2026. The winning article will be selected based on impressions generated on the Verified Home Timeline, with eligibility currently restricted to users based in the United States.
According to the platform, submissions must be original works of at least 1,000 words and must not contain hateful, fraudulent or manipulative material. X stated that content violating its platform policies will be disqualified from consideration.
The company outlined a detailed set of rules governing eligibility for the Top Article prize. Each submission must be the entrant’s sole original work and must not promote bigotry, racism, hate speech, terrorism, bullying or harm against any individual or group, or encourage discrimination. Articles must not contain overtly sexual content, defame or misrepresent X, its partners, products or other companies, or include disparaging remarks. Submissions must also be free from false, inaccurate or misleading information and must not contain plagiarised material.
X further stated that articles generated or substantially assisted by automated tools, artificial intelligence or third parties may be disqualified unless explicitly permitted by the platform. Once submitted, articles cannot be revised, though entrants are allowed to submit multiple articles during the contest period.
To participate, users are required to publish a qualifying article directly on X.com. The platform has also recently expanded its Articles feature to all Premium users, signalling a broader push to position long-form writing as a core content format on the service.
SPOTLIGHT
From purpose-driven work and narrative-rich brand films to AI-enabled ideas and creator-led collaborations, the awards reflect the full spectrum of modern creativity.
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