Elon Musk escalated his battle with Apple on Monday, announcing his AI startup xAI will pursue legal action against the tech giant for allegedly manipulating App Store rankings to favor OpenAI’s ChatGPT over competing AI services.
The Controversy:
• Musk claims Apple’s ranking system makes it “impossible” for any AI app besides ChatGPT to reach #1
• ChatGPT currently leads U.S. iPhone App Store rankings, with xAI’s Grok at #5
• Apple’s partnership with OpenAI includes ChatGPT integration across Apple devices
Legal Context:
The threat comes as Apple faces mounting antitrust scrutiny globally. In April, the EU fined Apple €500 million for App Store violations, while a U.S. judge found the company in contempt for failing to comply with an order to open its ecosystem to more competition in the Epic Games case.
Musk’s Broader Grievance:
The billionaire has repeatedly clashed with Apple since acquiring Twitter (now X), accusing the company of:
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Suppressing X’s visibility in app rankings
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Excluding both X and Grok from the “Must Have” app section
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Creating an unlevel playing field through its OpenAI partnership
Industry Impact:
The dispute highlights growing tensions between platform operators and AI developers vying for mobile dominance. With regulators increasingly targeting Apple’s “walled garden” approach, Musk’s move could add fuel to ongoing antitrust efforts while testing the boundaries of App Store governance.
Neither Apple nor OpenAI has publicly responded to the allegations. Legal experts suggest xAI would need to demonstrate specific anti-competitive acts by Apple to prevail in court.