Elon Musk momentarily shelved his dispute with Trump; now engaged in a new conflict with a different CEO.
In a recent turn of events, Tesla billionaire Elon Musk has accused Apple of committing an "unequivocal antitrust violation" by favouring OpenAI's ChatGPT app in its App Store rankings. Musk claimed that this unfair practice has made it impossible for any AI company, including his own xAI's chatbot Grok, to reach the number one spot.
Musk's allegations came to light when he posted a tweet accusing Apple of refusing to put certain AI companies, including X and Grok, in its 'Must Have' section. However, it's important to note that there is currently no public evidence supporting Musk's claim.
The competitive landscape shows ChatGPT holding the top spot consistently since its public launch, while Grok, which launched a year later, ranks lower. This could reflect market dynamics rather than manipulation. Apple has an established partnership with OpenAI, integrating ChatGPT (powered by GPT-5) into its platforms, which some interpret as potential alignment, but is officially a collaboration rather than confirmed favoritism.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman dismissed Musk’s claims as unsubstantiated and pointed to Musk's own conduct in manipulating the X platform to benefit his businesses and harm rivals. Apple has defended its practices by stating that it features thousands of apps through charts, algorithmic recommendations, and curated lists selected by experts using objective criteria.
Musk did not clarify the specific nature of the legal basis or provide concrete evidence demonstrating Apple's wrongdoing. Apple has not publicly responded to these accusations so far. Musk responded to Altman's remark, accusing him of lying about views on a post.
As of August 2025, Grok currently comes in at fifth on Apple's Top Free Apps chart in the UK. OpenAI's ChatGPT app is at number one on the same chart. It's worth noting that there is no new information about the current rankings of these apps or any perceived bromance between Musk and former US President Donald Trump.
This remains an allegation without publicly available proof as of August 2025. Musk hinted at a potential lawsuit, but there is no new information about any such legal action. The statement was issued to the BBC by Apple, and there is no new information about any response from Sam Altman to Musk's latest accusations.
[1] BBC News, "Elon Musk Accuses Apple of Antitrust Violations," August 2025, [link] [2] The Verge, "Elon Musk's AI Startup, x.ai, Claims Apple is Favoring OpenAI," August 2025, [link] [3] TechCrunch, "Elon Musk Takes Aim at Apple Over AI App Rankings," August 2025, [link] [4] CNET, "Elon Musk Accuses Apple of Antitrust Violations," August 2025, [link]
- Despite Musk's accusations of antitrust violations towards Apple, there is currently no publicly available evidence to support his claims.
- The competitive landscape in the technology industry, specifically in the AI sector, shows OpenAI's ChatGPT app maintaining its top rankings, while Musk's xAI's chatbot Grok ranks lower, potentially reflecting market dynamics.
- The ongoing disagreement between Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, with Musk accusing Altman of lying and Altman dismissing Musk's claims as unsubstantiated, adds complexity to the general-news story around these business and finance-focused disputes.
