American billionaire and entrepreneur Elon Musk has announced that his artificial intelligence (AI) company xAI will take legal action against Apple, accusing the tech giant of Antitrust violations in the management of its App Store rankings.
In a statement posted on his social media platform X, Musk wrote:
“Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation. xAI will take immediate legal action.”
Musk did not present direct evidence for the claim. According to Reuters, Apple, OpenAI, and xAI have not yet responded to requests for comment.
xAI, ChatGPT, and the App Store Competition
In the U.S. App Store “Top Free Apps” list for iPhones, ChatGPT currently holds the top position, while Musk’s Grok ranks fifth and Google’s Gemini Chatbot sits at 57th, according to Sensor Tower data.
Similarly, ChatGPT leads on the Google Play Store as well.
Apple has an existing partnership with OpenAI, integrating ChatGPT into iPhones, iPads, and Mac devices. Expressing dissatisfaction, Musk wrote in another post:
“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?”
Growing Tensions Between Musk and Apple
This dispute between Musk and Apple has reignited debate in the tech industry over fairness and transparency in the App Store. Apple’s App Store policies have faced challenges in the past from major tech companies, with disputes often centering around its fee structure, app promotion, and algorithmic transparency.
AI Market Competition Heats Up
With the global AI market growing rapidly, competition for top ranking and user acquisition has intensified. xAI, OpenAI, and Google are aggressively pushing their AI chatbots to wider audiences.
#MuskVsApple: Potential Impacts
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Legal action could push Apple to change its App Store management policies
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Intensified marketing and ranking battles between AI companies
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Increased attention and potential investigations from regulators
Conclusion: “A” for Antitrust
This case highlights that the call for fair competition and transparency in the digital marketplace is now a top priority not just for consumers but also for leading entrepreneurs.
