Elon Musk has accused Apple of engaging in antitrust violations by allegedly favoring OpenAI\u2019s ChatGPT over competing AI apps, including his company\u2019s Grok chatbot. Musk claims Apple\u2019s App Store practices make it \u201cimpossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1\u201d in the rankings and vowed that his startup xAI will \u201ctake immediate legal action.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a series of posts on his social media platform X, Musk questioned why neither Grok nor X, his social media app, appeared in Apple\u2019s \u201cMust-Have Apps\u201d section despite high rankings in the store\u2019s charts. He also implied Apple\u2019s decisions may be politically motivated. Apple declined to comment on the accusations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Apple partnered with OpenAI last year to integrate ChatGPT directly into its devices, a move Musk criticized as a \u201csecurity violation\u201d and threatened to ban from his companies. The dispute has been amplified by xAI\u2019s release of Grok 4 last month, shortly before OpenAI unveiled GPT-5, its most advanced AI model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to App Store data confirmed by CNBC, ChatGPT currently holds the top spot among free apps in the U.S., and it is the only AI chatbot featured in Apple\u2019s \u201cMust-Have\u201d section. Musk\u2019s Grok ranks fifth but is not highlighted by Apple\u2019s editorial selections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but left its board in 2018. He is now suing the company and CEO Sam Altman, alleging they abandoned OpenAI\u2019s original mission to develop AI \u201cfor the benefit of humanity broadly.\u201d Altman, in response to Musk\u2019s latest threat, called the accusations \u201cremarkable,\u201d pointing to allegations that Musk manipulates his own platform, X, to favor his companies and disadvantage competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The tensions come amid leadership changes at xAI. Last week, Robert Keele, head of the company\u2019s legal department, announced his departure, citing both personal reasons and differences in worldview with Musk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Apple is no stranger to antitrust challenges. The U.S. Department of Justice sued the company last year over claims it operates a monopoly in the iPhone ecosystem. In June, a panel of judges upheld a ruling requiring Apple to stop charging commissions on certain in-app payment links and to loosen restrictions on how developers present those links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While Musk\u2019s legal threat adds a new front to Apple\u2019s antitrust battles, it remains unclear whether xAI\u2019s potential lawsuit will gain traction or simply add to the broader debate over App Store competition in the rapidly expanding AI market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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