Musk’s xAI Threatens Legal Action Against Apple Over App Store Rankings

Billionaire Elon Musk announced on Monday that his artificial intelligence startup, xAI, will pursue legal action against Apple, accusing the tech giant of violating antitrust laws in its management of App Store rankings.

Musk claimed on his social media platform X that Apple’s policies effectively prevent any AI company besides OpenAI from reaching the top spot in the App Store, calling it an “unequivocal antitrust violation.”

Currently, ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, holds the number one position in the App Store’s “Top Free Apps” section for iPhones in the US. Meanwhile, xAI’s Grok ranks fifth, and Google’s Gemini chatbot is placed 57th. ChatGPT also leads on the Google Play Store, according to Sensor Tower data.

Apple has an existing partnership with OpenAI, integrating ChatGPT across its iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Musk also questioned Apple’s refusal to feature his apps in the App Store’s “Must Have” section despite their high rankings, suggesting possible political motivations.

Musk’s allegations come amid increasing regulatory scrutiny of Apple’s App Store control. In April, a US judge ruled Apple violated an order to allow greater competition, referring the company for a criminal contempt investigation in a case brought by Epic Games, creator of Fortnite.

Additionally, Apple was fined €500 million ($587 million) by the European Union’s antitrust enforcer for restricting developers from steering users to cheaper deals outside the App Store, violating the Digital Markets Act.

Neither Apple, OpenAI, nor xAI immediately responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.