Elon Musk has threatened to sue Apple, accusing the technology giant of antitrust violations that he claims unfairly favour OpenAI in its App Store rankings. The move has reignited his long-standing rivalry with OpenAI’s chief executive, Sam Altman, sparking a public exchange of barbed accusations between the two.
Allegations of bias in App Store rankings
Musk alleged that Apple’s App Store policies and editorial decisions effectively promote ChatGPT while sidelining his own artificial intelligence products, including the Grok chatbot developed by his company xAI. He argued that despite high user ratings—Grok ranking as the number one news app—Apple excluded it from prominent “Must Have” lists, which he described as an “unequivocal antitrust violation.” Musk further claimed that the App Store structure makes it “impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach the top.”
Altman responds with counter-accusations
Altman swiftly denied Musk’s claims, accusing him of manipulating his own social media platform, X, to promote personal ventures. He suggested Musk had directed changes to X’s algorithm to amplify his own posts and limit those of competitors. In a pointed challenge, Altman asked Musk to sign an affidavit confirming he had never altered the algorithm for personal gain, promising to apologise if proven wrong.
Escalating public feud
The exchange soon became personal. Musk mocked Altman’s social media reach, contrasting his follower count with Altman’s engagement figures, while Altman doubled down on his accusations of self-serving behaviour. The dispute played out in real time across X, drawing significant public and media attention.
A rivalry with deep roots
Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but departed in 2018 following disagreements over its strategic direction and governance. Since then, he has become one of the organisation’s fiercest critics, filing lawsuits over its partnerships—particularly with Microsoft—and challenging its integration into Apple products. The latest dispute builds on years of tension, with both men publicly questioning each other’s motives and business practices.
Implications for the tech industry
The confrontation underscores the growing friction between leading figures in the artificial intelligence sector, as competition intensifies over market dominance and product visibility. Legal action by Musk against Apple could bring increased regulatory scrutiny over the App Store’s practices, potentially affecting how AI tools are distributed and promoted worldwide.
REFH – Newshub, 13 August 2025
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