Elon Musk accuses Apple of antitrust bias in App Store AI rankings

Apple faces a new artificial intelligence-related challenge from Elon Musk, who has publicly accused the company of antitrust violations related to App Store rankings. In a post on X—his social media platform—Musk claimed Apple’s ranking system unfairly favors OpenAI’s ChatGPT over competing AI chatbots like xAI’s Grok, which currently ranks sixth in the App Store’s U.S. free app category while ChatGPT holds the top spot. Musk warned of “immediate legal action” if Apple does not address what he describes as an imbalance in app visibility [1].

Musk’s criticism is tied to a high-profile partnership between Apple and OpenAI, announced in June 2024, which integrates ChatGPT more deeply into Apple’s ecosystem, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs. He accused Apple of “improper favoritism” in this arrangement and suggested it gives OpenAI an unfair advantage in the App Store [1].

The dispute adds to Apple’s recent struggles with AI, as its stock has fallen nearly 20% in 2025 amid investor disappointment in the company’s artificial intelligence initiatives. While Apple has yet to respond publicly to Musk’s allegations, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman quickly pushed back, suggesting Musk’s claims are hypocritical given his past actions on X to benefit himself and his companies [1].

This comes amid a broader regulatory and competitive landscape. Apple has faced increasing antitrust scrutiny globally, and Musk’s latest move could signal a growing trend of high-profile tech figures challenging the company’s business practices. The App Store remains a key battleground for AI firms, with visibility at the top of rankings often determining success or failure in the platform’s competitive environment [1].

The implications of this dispute remain unclear. If pursued legally, it could lead to a public showdown between two of the most influential figures in the tech and AI space. For now, the situation highlights the growing tensions around AI development and platform dominance in an industry where control over digital distribution channels is increasingly contested [1].

Source: [1] Apple has a new AI problem: Elon Musk (https://fortune.com/2025/08/13/apple-has-a-new-ai-problem-elon-musk/)