Apple has officially pushed back against Elon Musk’s accusation that the App Store gives unfair preference to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Speaking to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple said the App Store is “fair and free of bias,” emphasizing its mix of algorithmic recommendations, curated expert lists, and category charts.
“Our goal is to offer safe discovery for users and valuable opportunities for developers,” Apple stated, adding that thousands of apps are featured using objective criteria.
Musk’s Allegations
On Monday, Musk threatened legal action, claiming Apple’s alleged favoritism toward ChatGPT over other AI apps—such as his own Grok—amounts to an “unequivocal antitrust violation.” He also said Apple refuses to feature Grok or X in the store’s “Must Have” section, where ChatGPT currently appears.
However, Musk offered no evidence. In fact, earlier this year, AI app DeepSeek reached the number-one spot on the App Store, showing that ChatGPT’s position is not unique. At the time of writing, ChatGPT holds the top position in free apps, Grok is number five, and X sits at number 32.
Context and Pushback
Grok has drawn attention for adding adult-themed content, including celebrity deepfakes, raising questions over its suitability for prominent App Store placement. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman countered Musk’s criticism by pointing to Musk’s own manipulation of X’s algorithms to favor his ventures.
Apple continues to face antitrust scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice and is still appealing the Epic Games ruling that mandated changes to its App Store policies.
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