Musk Threatens Legal Action Against Apple Over Alleged ‘Favoritism’ Toward OpenAI in App Store Rankings
Elon Musk has accused Apple Inc. of giving OpenAI preferential treatment in its App Store rankings, claiming the system unfairly sidelines competitors — including his own AI company, xAI Holdings.
In a post on his X social network Tuesday, Musk alleged that Apple’s ranking practices amount to “playing politics” and “an unequivocal antitrust violation.” He vowed that xAI would “take immediate legal action.”
“This behavior makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach No. 1 in the App Store,” Musk wrote.
The comments come amid heightened scrutiny of Big Tech’s control over app marketplaces and their influence on global app discovery. In the U.S. App Store, OpenAI’s ChatGPT app currently holds the top spot among free iPhone apps, while Musk’s Grok AI sits at No. 5.
Musk’s latest clash with Apple and OpenAI follows a recent public spat with U.S. President Donald Trump in June. His feud with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stretches back years, beginning after the two co-founded the company but split over strategic disagreements.
Responding directly to Musk’s allegations, Altman dismissed the claims and took a swipe at Musk’s own business practices.
“This is a remarkable claim given what I have heard alleged that Elon does to manipulate X to benefit himself and his own companies, and harm his competitors and people he doesn’t like,” Altman posted. “OpenAI will just stay focused on making great products.”
