Elon Musk Targets Apple in Antitrust Showdown Over AI App Rankings

In a striking escalation of his long-running feud with OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, Elon Musk has now locked horns with another tech giant—Apple. Musk, through his AI venture xAI, has threatened Apple with a lawsuit, accusing the iPhone maker of antitrust violations by giving preferential treatment to OpenAI’s ChatGPT in its App Store rankings.

Core Allegations from Musk

Musk claims that Apple’s App Store is “making it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1,” labeling the platform’s favoritism toward ChatGPT—both editorially and algorithmically—as an “unequivocal antitrust violation” He specifically pointed out that his AI chatbot, Grok, ranking among the top five apps overall, was still excluded from the App Store’s “Must Have” section, despite its popularity.

Apple’s Firm Rebuttal

Apple responded swiftly, dismissing Musk’s claims by affirming that the App Store is “designed to be fair and free of bias.” The company emphasized that rankings and curated lists are based on objective criteria driven by charts, recommendations, and expert evaluations.

Altman Strikes Back

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman didn’t hold back. He countered Musk’s accusations by pointing to prior allegations that Musk manipulated the algorithm of his platform X to favor his own ventures. Altman challenged Musk’s credibility and even floated the idea of an affidavit to settle the dispute publicly.

Broader Context and Tensions

• The spat underscores broader concerns surrounding Apple’s App Store monopoly, already under scrutiny by regulators in both the U.S. and Europe for unfair practices.

• This is just the latest chapter in the Musk–Altman saga, rooted in their partnership at OpenAI and Musk’s departure in 2018. The conflict has seen lawsuits, feature comparisons like Grok 4 Heavy vs. GPT-5, and public barbs over integrity and tech dominance.

What’s at Stake

This clash isn’t just about app rankings—it illustrates the fierce competition in the AI space, the power of platform gatekeepers, and how even tech icons like Musk and Altman can find themselves entangled in political, legal, and personal crossfires.

Expect this dispute to heat up—whether through a formal lawsuit or continued social media volleys—especially as regulatory pressure mounts against Apple and the AI landscape continues to evolve.