Elon Musk has threatened to sue Apple on behalf of his AI startup, xAI, alleging an “unequivocal antitrust violation.” The billionaire claims that Apple’s App Store is unfairly biased, making it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach the number one spot. He pointed to his own app, Grok, ranking fifth while OpenAI’s ChatGPT holds the top position. This accusation has ignited a public feud with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on X.
The public quarrel on X quickly escalated, with Altman responding with a sarcastic jab. He questioned the “remarkable” nature of Musk’s claim, given reports that Musk has manipulated X’s algorithm to favor his own content and companies. The long-standing animosity between the two dates back to Musk’s co-founding of OpenAI in 2015 and his subsequent departure in 2018. Since then, Musk has sued the company twice, with Altman consistently portraying him as a bitter ex-partner.
Musk’s central argument that the App Store is a closed system for OpenAI has been challenged by information from the community. Community notes on X have highlighted that other AI apps, including the Chinese app DeepSeek and Perplexity, have reached the number one spot in various App Store markets this year. This evidence directly contradicts Musk’s claim that the top spot is unattainable for competitors. The irony was further emphasized when xAI’s own chatbot, Grok, sided with Altman in the dispute.
Musk’s legal threat adds to the mounting pressure Apple is already facing. The company is currently battling a major antitrust lawsuit from the US Department of Justice and was recently fined €500 million by the EU for its anti-competitive App Store policies. Musk’s public allegations add a new layer of scrutiny to Apple’s market dominance.