Elon Musk is once again taking aim at Apple. This time threatening legal action over alleged antitrust violations in the App Store. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO claims Apple is unfairly boosting OpenAI’s ChatGPT above his own Grok AI assistant in app rankings.
The Claim: Apple’s Alleged App Store Bias
In a post on X, Musk accused Apple of creating conditions that make it “impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store,” calling it a “clear antitrust violation.” He added that his AI company, xAI, would take “immediate legal action” against Apple.
However, Musk provided no concrete evidence to support his claims. Users on X quickly pointed out that DeepSeek reached the #1 spot on the App Store in January 2025, well after Apple announced its partnership with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into Siri for complex queries.
The Rankings Right Now
- #1 Free App: ChatGPT
- #6: Grok AI (Musk’s assistant)
- #57: Google Gemini
Musk also criticized Apple for not including Grok or X in its “Must Have” section, implying editorial bias in App Store promotions.
Sam Altman Fires Back
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded directly, calling Musk’s comments “remarkable” which was a pointed remark referencing long-standing accusations that Musk uses his own platform to boost his companies and downplay rivals.
The Bigger Picture: Apple Under Scrutiny
Apple’s App Store practices are already under global regulatory pressure:
- April 2025 (U.S.) – A judge ruled Apple violated a court order to open the App Store to more competition, referring the company for a criminal contempt probe following a case brought by Epic Games.
- April 2025 (EU) – The European Commission fined Apple €500 million ($587 million) for restricting developers from directing users to cheaper offers outside the App Store, a violation of the Digital Markets Act. Apple is appealing the decision.
What’s Next?
With Musk threatening legal action and regulators already circling, Apple could face yet another high-profile battle over its App Store dominance. Whether Musk’s claims hold up in court remains to be seen, but the fight over who controls the AI spotlight is heating up fast.
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