Apple allegedly biasing OpenAI over other AI applications on the iPhone, as asserted by Elon Musk.
Headline: Elon Musk Accuses Apple of Favoring OpenAI in App Store, Claims Antitrust Violation
In a recent development, Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of xAI Holdings, has accused Apple Inc.'s app store of favoring OpenAI over his xAI Holdings products. Musk claims that this behavior makes it impossible for any AI company other than OpenAI to reach the number one spot in the App Store, which he describes as an unequivocal antitrust violation [2][3].
Musk's frustration stems from the fact that his AI app, Grok, ranks fifth on the App Store, while OpenAI’s ChatGPT holds the top spot. He also questioned why his X app (formerly Twitter) wasn’t ranked higher, implying unfair treatment [2].
Apple, however, has rejected Musk’s accusations. The tech giant stated that its App Store features thousands of apps through charts, algorithmic recommendations, and expert-curated lists based on objective criteria [1]. Apple emphasized that there is no evidence of favoritism towards OpenAI and noted that various AI apps aside from OpenAI’s, like Perplexity and DeekSeek, have topped charts at times in the past year [1]. Given increasing global regulatory scrutiny, Apple is careful to maintain fairness in App Store operations [1].
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded to Musk’s claims by indirectly accusing Musk of manipulating his own platforms to benefit himself and harm others, calling Musk’s accusation “remarkable” given those allegations [2]. Altman affirmed OpenAI’s focus on making great products rather than engaging in disputes [2].
This dispute highlights tensions among major AI companies and app platform policies amid heightened antitrust scrutiny [1][2][3]. It is important to note that Apple and OpenAI representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
| Party | Claim/Response | |-------------|------------------------------------------------------------------| | Elon Musk | Apple’s App Store is biased, favoring OpenAI, violating antitrust laws, and blocking xAI’s Grok from reaching #1 [2][3]. | | Apple | Denies bias, cites objective app rankings and broad featuring of AI apps; no evidence favoring OpenAI [1]. | | OpenAI (Altman) | Accuses Musk of self-serving platform manipulations; stresses focus on building good products [2]. |
Background
- Musk and OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman have a long-running feud that dates back to their split after founding OpenAI together.
- As of August 11, 2025, X is the #1 news app in the world and Grok is #5 among all apps.
- The feud between Musk and Altman is the biggest fight Musk has picked since his confrontation with US President Donald Trump in June.
- Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of xAI Holdings, criticized Apple Inc.'s app store practices.
- Apple and OpenAI have a partnership around AI built into the latest iPhones.
[1] Apple Inc., "Apple Responds to Elon Musk's Antitrust Claims Against App Store", Press Release, [Date]. [2] TechCrunch, "Elon Musk Accuses Apple of Antitrust Violations Over App Store Practices", Article, [Date]. [3] The Verge, "Elon Musk Claims Apple's App Store is Biased Against xAI Holdings", Article, [Date].
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