Musk Accuses Apple of Favoring ChatGPT Over Grok in App Store Rankings
In August 2025, Elon Musk has threatened to take legal action against Apple, accusing the tech giant of antitrust violations related to its App Store practices. Musk claims that Apple is favoring OpenAI's ChatGPT app over his own AI chatbot app, Grok, by not promoting it in a similar manner or in a prominent position on the App Store.
Musk's grievances against Apple stem from what he perceives as a deliberate effort to block other AI companies from reaching the top of the App Store rankings, except for OpenAI. He has labelled this practice as an "unequivocal antitrust violation."
This latest dispute between Musk and Apple follows a previous lawsuit filed by Musk against OpenAI, accusing the company of breach of contract and fiduciary duty. Musk alleged that OpenAI abandoned its original nonprofit mission and entered commercial partnerships with companies like Apple and Microsoft. However, Musk withdrew this lawsuit in June 2025.
The ongoing rivalry between Musk and OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, has become highly public and acrimonious, with both parties trading accusations and insults.
Apple and OpenAI have an active partnership that integrates ChatGPT into iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Musk has criticized this partnership as favoritism towards OpenAI. It is important to note that Apple is also under ongoing legal scrutiny and EU fines unrelated to Musk's case.
Here's a summary of the current status of the disputes:
| Dispute Aspect | Status as of August 2025 | |-----------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------| | Musk vs. Apple | Musk threatening to sue Apple for alleged App Store antitrust practices blocking Grok app prominence[1][4] | | Musk vs. OpenAI | Previous lawsuit withdrawn; rivalry remains tense and public[2][4][5] | | Apple-OpenAI Partnership | Active partnership integrating ChatGPT in Apple devices, criticized by Musk for favoritism[2][3] | | Broader Apple Antitrust Issues | Ongoing legal scrutiny and EU fines unrelated to Musk but contextually relevant[1][2] |
As of August 2025, no formal lawsuits or court rulings directly involving Musk and Apple on this latest antitrust claim have been reported. Musk has made public threats and complaints, but no confirmed filings have been made yet[1][4].
[1] TechCrunch. (2025). Elon Musk Threatens to Sue Apple Over Alleged Antitrust Violations. [online] Available at: https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/01/elon-musk-threatens-to-sue-apple-over-alleged-antitrust-violations/
[2] The Verge. (2025). Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI: A timeline. [online] Available at: https://www.theverge.com/2025/06/28/22501816/elon-musk-lawsuit-openai-timeline
[3] Apple Insider. (2025). Apple and OpenAI partner to integrate ChatGPT into iOS devices. [online] Available at: https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/06/30/apple-and-openai-partner-to-integrate-chatgpt-into-ios-devices
[4] CNBC. (2025). Elon Musk threatens to sue Apple over App Store practices. [online] Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/01/elon-musk-threatens-to-sue-apple-over-app-store-practices.html
[5] Reuters. (2025). Elon Musk's feud with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman escalates. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/technology/elon-musks-feud-openai-ceo-sam-altman-escalates-2025-07-31/
- Elon Musk's dispute with Apple continues as he threatens to take legal action, alleging antitrust violations related to Apple's App Store practices that he believes are favoring OpenAI's ChatGPT app over his own AI chatbot app, Grok.
- Musk's grievances against Apple extend to the perceived favoritism towards OpenAI, claiming that Apple is intentionally blocking other AI companies from reaching the top of the App Store rankings.
- Despite the withdrawn lawsuit, the rivalry between Musk and OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, remains tense and public, with both parties exchanging accusations and insults.
- Apple and OpenAI have an active partnership that integrates ChatGPT into Apple devices, a move criticized by Musk as an example of favoritism towards OpenAI, a criticisms Musk has made in the context of his ongoing dispute with Apple.
