Elon Musk Threatens Apple Lawsuit Over App Store Bias Toward ChatGPT

Elon Musk vs. Apple: The App Store Fight Heats Up

The rivalry in Silicon Valley is getting sharper. Elon Musk is aiming at Apple, accusing the tech giant of giving unfair favor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT in the App Store. Musk says Apple’s actions are stopping other AI apps, including his own, from reaching the top spot, and he’s threatening a lawsuit.

Musk, who runs xAI, Tesla, and the social platform X, made the claims in a series of posts online. He called Apple’s actions an “unequivocal antitrust violation” and says he will take legal action soon.

The tension centers on Apple’s “Must Have” app section. xAI’s chatbot Grok is currently the fifth most-downloaded free app in the US, and X also performs well in its category. But neither appears in Apple’s curated picks. ChatGPT, meanwhile, leads both downloads and recommendations. Google’s Gemini sits far lower in the ranks.

Why This Matters

Apple recently deepened its partnership with OpenAI, adding ChatGPT features directly into iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Musk believes this shows Apple is not treating competing AI developers fairly. His criticism also taps into a larger feud with OpenAI , the company he helped start but later distanced himself from.

So far, Musk has not shown hard proof that Apple is manipulating rankings. Apple, OpenAI, and xAI have not issued official statements in response.

Bigger Picture: Antitrust Scrutiny

Apple’s App Store policies are already under investigation in the US and Europe for limiting competition. Regulators have fined the company hundreds of millions of euros in recent years. A US court also found that Apple broke rules related to app competition, sparking further inquiries.

Any lawsuit from Musk could add more pressure. It could also influence how app marketplaces are run and how competition works in the fast-growing AI sector.

The Bottom Line

This fight isn’t just about app rankings. It’s about market control, AI dominance, and what counts as fair play in tech. Whether Musk wins or not, this clash will shape the rules of the app economy , and the world is paying attention.