Tech billionaire accuses Apple of antitrust violations in App Store rankings, escalating tensions between Silicon Valley giants
San Francisco, CA – Elon Musk has declared war on Apple’s App Store policies, announcing that his artificial intelligence company xAI will sue Apple over what he claims are anti-competitive ranking practices favoring OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The bombshell accusation comes as global regulators increasingly scrutinize Apple’s control over its digital marketplace.
Musk’s Explosive Allegations – Apple App Store antitrust
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Musk alleged:
“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.”
Key points of contention:
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ChatGPT currently holds the #1 spot in Apple’s U.S. App Store
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xAI’s Grok ranks fifth, while Google’s Gemini sits at 57th
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Musk questioned why neither X nor Grok appear in Apple’s “Must Have” section
The Apple-OpenAI Partnership Under Fire
The dispute highlights Apple’s controversial partnership with OpenAI, which integrates ChatGPT deeply into iOS 18. Critics argue this creates an unfair advantage:
“Are you playing politics?” Musk challenged Apple in an earlier post.
Regulatory Backdrop
Apple faces mounting legal pressure worldwide:
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$587M EU fine (April 2024) for violating Digital Markets Act
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U.S. contempt investigation over Epic Games case
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Global antitrust probes into App Store dominance
Why This Matters for Tech Competition
The battle exposes critical issues in App Store fairness:
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Algorithm transparency – How Apple determines rankings
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Partnership influence – Whether deals distort competition
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Innovation suppression – If smaller AI players get buried
Legal experts suggest Musk’s case could force Apple to:
✔ Disclose ranking criteria
✔ Restructure its OpenAI deal
✔ Face stricter regulatory oversight
What’s Next?
With neither Apple nor xAI commenting to Reuters, the tech world watches for:
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Formal lawsuit filings from xAI’s legal team
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Regulatory reactions from U.S. FTC and EU
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Potential App Store policy changes
As Musk vows “immediate legal action,” this clash may redefine how tech titans compete in the AI era.
Read the original article on AOL
