Tech magnate Elon Musk accuses Apple of monopolistic practices, specifically favoritism towards ChatGPT, and prepares to file a lawsuit in response. Musk claims that Apple has unlawfully impeded competition in the App Store in his favor.
In a recent development, Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, has threatened to sue Apple for alleged preferential treatment of OpenAI's ChatGPT app in the Apple App Store. This move comes amidst claims of antitrust violations, as Musk argues that Apple's behaviour makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach the number one spot in the App Store.
The dispute began when xAI's chatbot, Grok, entered the Microsoft ecosystem, but found itself struggling to gain traction in the Apple App Store. Grok, currently ranked fifth in the US App Store, is not being promoted fairly, according to Musk, who publicly announced the legal threat on his social media platform, X.
Apple, however, has denied these claims, stating that the App Store is "designed to be fair and free of bias." OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded by calling Musk's claims "remarkable" and accused Musk himself of manipulating his own platform to benefit his companies at the expense of competitors.
The ongoing feud between Musk (xAI) and OpenAI includes a separate lawsuit against OpenAI for allegedly breaching earlier nonprofit commitments. If the lawsuit against Apple focuses on its partnership with OpenAI—including ChatGPT's integration in Siri and other Apple features—OpenAI could also become a defendant.
The case and related litigation, including counterclaims, are scheduled for trial in spring 2026. The ruling came after an antitrust lawsuit filed by Epic Games, creator of the popular video game Fortnite, and follows a federal judge in California ruling that Apple had violated a court order aimed at increasing competition in the App Store in April of this year. The European Commission also imposed a $570 million fine on Apple for preventing developers from redirecting users to more affordable payment options outside the App Store.
The implications of this case may involve closer scrutiny of Apple's App Store policies, potential antitrust investigations around AI app rankings, and intensified rivalry among AI developers. The case highlights evolving tensions among major tech players competing in AI, impacting platform fairness and competition dynamics.
As of the announcement, Grok, the artificial intelligence model developed by xAI, is in sixth place in the section of best free apps in the App Store. The official account of Grok also joined the criticisms, stating that Apple's editorial selection in its store seems to favor ChatGPT at the expense of new proposals and innovations.
This news adds another layer to the growing competition in the AI industry, with tech giants vying for dominance in this rapidly evolving field. As the case unfolds, it will be interesting to see how Apple responds and whether the court rules in favour of xAI's claims of antitrust violations.
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