Elon Musk announced that his artificial intelligence startup, xAI, will take legal action against Apple, accusing the tech giant of violating antitrust rules by unfairly managing App Store rankings. He claimed that Apple’s actions make it impossible for any AI company other than OpenAI to reach the number one position in the App Store, which he described as a clear breach of competition laws.
Currently, ChatGPT holds the top spot in the App Store’s “Top Free Apps” list for iPhones in the United States, while xAI’s Grok sits at fifth place and Google’s Gemini ranks far lower at 57th. Musk also pointed out that Apple’s partnership with OpenAI integrates ChatGPT into iPhones, iPads, and Macs, giving it a strong advantage over competitors.
Earlier on Monday, Musk publicly questioned why the App Store refused to feature either X, his social media platform, or Grok in its “Must Have” section, despite their strong user rankings. He suggested that Apple may be making decisions based on politics rather than merit, intensifying his accusations of unfair treatment toward his companies.
The dispute comes amid growing regulatory and industry scrutiny of Apple’s control over its App Store. In April, a U.S. judge ruled that Apple had violated a court order intended to increase competition, even referring the case to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation.
Apple has also faced penalties abroad, including a 500 million euro fine from the European Union earlier this year. EU regulators found that Apple’s technical and commercial restrictions prevented developers from directing users to cheaper deals outside the App Store, which violated the Digital Markets Act.
Musk’s legal threat marks the latest chapter in ongoing tensions between major tech players and Apple, as rivals push for a more level playing field in app distribution and market visibility.