Key points
- xAI’s Grok ranks sixth
- ChatGPT holds top spot
- No evidence provided
ISLAMABAD: Elon Musk has said his artificial intelligence company, xAI, plans to sue Apple for allegedly favouring competitors such as OpenAI in its App Store—an action he claims breaches antitrust laws.
Elon Musk, the founder of xAI, on Monday threatened Apple with legal action over alleged antitrust violations related to rankings of his AI chatbot app, Grok.
Read Dylan Butts’s article for more: https://t.co/1xRqZ0FZ5C pic.twitter.com/eFw1PHbmWJ
— CNBC International (@CNBCi) August 12, 2025
Posting on X, the social media platform he owns, Musk accused Apple of preventing any AI app besides ChatGPT from reaching the top spot in its app rankings. He called this an “unequivocal antitrust violation” and announced that legal action would be taken immediately, according to CNN.
Grok, xAI’s AI chatbot, currently ranks sixth among the Top Free Apps on Apple’s US App Store, while OpenAI’s ChatGPT holds the number one position. In a pinned post, Musk questioned Apple’s refusal to include X or Grok in its ‘Must Have’ apps section, despite X being “the #1 news app in the world.”
No evidence
Grok, in a separate post on X reposted by Musk, said the App Store appears biased, favouring ChatGPT over newer alternatives. It suggested editorial caution around Grok’s “unfiltered style” was stifling competition. However, neither Musk nor Grok provided evidence for these claims.
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
In June 2024, Apple announced a partnership with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into its devices. Musk reacted by threatening to ban Apple products from his companies, including X, Tesla, and SpaceX—though it is unclear whether he followed through.
This is not the first time Apple’s App Store has come under scrutiny. In April, a US judge ruled the company violated an earlier order to promote fairer competition on its platform. The ruling came from a long-running legal battle with Fortnite developer Epic Games.
Also, in April, the European Commission fined Apple €500 million for limiting developers’ ability to direct users to cheaper alternatives. Apple has since appealed the fine.
