Text Watermarking Is Off by Default in the SpaceXSI API, Musk Says It Runs Only Where Law or Users Require It
Text watermarking is now off by default in the SpaceXSI API
Context
A default off setting for text watermarks changes what developers can assume about detecting SpaceXSI text, except where the law still requires a mark or a team turns it back on.
Tech Dev Notes posted on November 13 a SpaceXSI email saying that as of November 9, 2026, text outputs on the SpaceXSI API are watermarked only if a team admin turns it on. The email says no action is needed if a team does not want watermarking, including teams that already opted out, and that a team admin can turn it on in the docs. It also tells teams to review their legal duties and to turn watermarking on if they are required to mark AI generated text. Elon Musk quoted the post on November 14 and wrote that text watermarking with Grok is only on where required by law or requested by the user.
Deep dive
Tech Dev Notes posted a screenshot of a SpaceXSI email on November 13 with the line, "Text watermarking is now off by default in the SpaceXSI API." The email, from updates@email.api.x.ai and signed by the SpaceXSI team, says the default watermarking behavior on the SpaceXSI API has been updated. As of November 9, 2026, it says, text outputs are watermarked only if a team admin turns it on, and watermarking can be enabled for all text models available via the API.
The email tells customers that if they do not want watermarking, including teams that already opted out, no action is needed. If they want it, a team admin needs to turn it on as described in the docs. It also says teams should conduct appropriate reviews for compliance with any laws, and that if they are required to mark AI generated text, they should turn watermarking on for the models they use. Questions are directed to support@x.ai.
Elon Musk quoted the post on November 14, after 11 AM ET, and wrote, "Text watermarking with Grok is only on where required by law or requested by the user." That is a first hand statement from Musk, but it came a day after the email was shared, so this story stays on November 13 with the Tech Dev Notes post as the lead and Musk's clarification as a link.
No official SpaceXSI post with 100,000 or more views was found in this scan. The change, as described, applies to text outputs on the API. The email and Musk's post do not say whether image or video watermarking is treated the same way.
What to expect next
Watch the SpaceXSI docs for how a team admin turns text watermarking back on, and for any official note on which jurisdictions still require a mark. It is not yet clear from these posts whether the same default applies to images, video, or products outside the API. A later official SpaceXSI post, or a change in the API docs dated after November 9, would confirm the email that Tech Dev Notes shared.