Elon Musk has publicly threatened to take legal action against Apple, accusing the tech giant of engaging in an “unequivocal antitrust violation” by allegedly preventing xAI’s AI chatbot app Grok from reaching the number one spot in Apple’s App Store. Despite Grok’s rapid rise to fifth place among all apps, Musk claims Apple is favoring OpenAI’s ChatGPT due to Apple’s partnership with OpenAI.
The Allegations Against Apple
Musk argued that Apple’s App Store ranking system is manipulated to block any AI company other than OpenAI from achieving the top rank. In a post on his social media platform X, Musk stated, “Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation.” He further questioned Apple’s refusal to feature both his social media app X (formerly Twitter), which is the number one news app globally, and Grok in the App Store’s “Must Have” section, implying political favoritism.
Hey @Apple App Store, why do you refuse to put either 𝕏 or Grok in your “Must Have” section when 𝕏 is the #1 news app in the world and Grok is #5 among all apps?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 11, 2025
Are you playing politics? What gives? Inquiring minds want to know. https://t.co/3wenLZGtwG
The Context Behind the Dispute
Apple heavily features OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which was integrated into iOS earlier this year under a partnership between the two companies. ChatGPT holds the top spot in the App Store’s Top Free Apps list in the United States, while Grok trails at fifth place. Google’s Gemini AI chatbot ranks much lower.
Musk’s frustration is also influenced by the longstanding competitive tensions between him and OpenAI. Musk was a co-founder of OpenAI but parted ways with the company amidst disputes over its direction. Now, with xAI in direct competition, the rivalry has escalated with Musk accusing Apple of propping up OpenAI.
Response and Industry Implications
Apple has not yet publicly responded to Musk’s accusations. Apple faces multiple ongoing legal challenges and regulatory scrutiny over its App Store practices, including an ongoing antitrust case involving Epic Games, which led to a court ruling that Apple violated a court order related to competition.
OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman responded to Musk’s claims with a pointed remark highlighting Musk’s own history of manipulating platforms for his benefit, which adds another layer to the ongoing feud.
What’s Next?
Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 12, 2025
xAI will take immediate legal action.
Musk has declared that xAI “will take immediate legal action” against Apple over the alleged antitrust violation. It remains unclear what specific legal steps will be pursued and how Apple will respond. This conflict places renewed spotlight on Apple’s App Store policies and their influence over AI app distribution and ranking.
As the AI app market grows increasingly competitive, and with powerful players like OpenAI and xAI vying for dominance, this legal and public battle may have broader consequences for app store governance and the AI ecosystem on iOS devices.