Artificial Intelligence
Elon Musk’s xAI to Sue Apple Over App Store Rankings, Accusing Favoritism Toward OpenAI
Elon Musk has ignited another high-stakes tech battle, announcing that his artificial intelligence startup xAI will take legal action against Apple over what he claims are antitrust violations in the App Store’s ranking system.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Musk accused Apple of “behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store,” calling it “an unequivocal antitrust violation.” He asserted that xAI will pursue immediate legal action against the iPhone maker.
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?
Are you playing politics? What gives? Inquiring minds want to know. https://t.co/3wenLZGtwG
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 11, 2025
The move comes amid Apple’s ongoing partnership with OpenAI, which has integrated ChatGPT into iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Currently, ChatGPT holds the top position in the App Store’s “Top Free Apps” section in the U.S., while xAI’s Grok AI sits at fifth place. Elon Musk questioned why neither X nor Grok appears in Apple’s “Must Have” section despite strong usage metrics, alleging possible political bias.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman fired back, suggesting Elon Musk’s claim was “remarkable” given allegations that Musk himself manipulates his own platform, X, to favor his companies and disadvantage competitors. Despite Elon Musk’s accusations, Apple, OpenAI, and xAI have not yet provided official statements.
The Competitive AI App Landscape
While Elon Musk accuses Apple of bias, data shows that other AI apps have reached the coveted top spot in recent months. Chinese AI app DeepSeek hit No. 1 in January, and in July, Perplexity AI claimed the top position in India’s App Store — both after Apple’s partnership with OpenAI began.
This raises questions about whether ChatGPT’s dominance is purely due to Apple’s favouritism or reflects broader market forces and user demand.
There you have it pic.twitter.com/qXjHLdROuY
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 12, 2025
Regulatory Heat on Apple
Elon Musk’s legal threat arrives as Apple faces mounting global scrutiny over its App Store control. Earlier this year, the European Union fined Apple €500 million ($581 million) for restricting developers from steering customers to alternative payment methods outside its App Store ecosystem.
These regulatory pressures could play into Elon Musk’s case, as antitrust watchdogs are increasingly sensitive to allegations of platform favoritism and anti-competitive behavior.
If Musk’s legal challenge gains traction, it could set a precedent for how app rankings are governed and potentially force Apple to increase transparency in its ranking algorithms. For the AI industry, the outcome could reshape competitive dynamics in one of the most important distribution channels for AI tools: the mobile app marketplace.
For now, the public battle between Elon Musk, Apple, and Sam Altman underscores the fierce competition — and growing tensions — in the rapidly expanding AI sector. As legal filings loom, this clash could escalate into one of the most closely watched tech disputes of the year.
