Elon Musk says his AI startup xAI will take legal action against Apple, accusing the company of violating antitrust laws through its App Store ranking practices.
In a post on X, Musk claimed Apple’s system makes it “impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1” in the App Store. He called it “an unequivocal antitrust violation” and promised immediate action.
Apple recently partnered with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into iPhones, iPads, and Macs. OpenAI’s ChatGPT currently tops the U.S. “Top Free Apps” chart, while xAI’s Grok ranks fifth.
Musk also questioned why X and Grok were not featured in Apple’s “Must Have” section. “Are you playing politics?” he wrote.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman pushed back. On X, he called Musk’s claim “remarkable,” citing past allegations that Musk manipulates his own platform to favor his businesses.
Apple, OpenAI, and xAI have not commented publicly. However, community notes on X point out that other apps, including China’s DeepSeek and Perplexity in India, have reached the top spot since Apple’s OpenAI deal.
The dispute comes as Apple faces mounting scrutiny over its App Store control. In March, EU regulators fined the company €500 million for restricting developers from directing users outside the App Store.
