12.08.2025 06:15

Elon Musk, the tech mogul, has leveled serious accusations against Apple, alleging anti-competitive practices within the App Store. He claims Apple is deliberately favoring OpenAI, giving it an unfair advantage in app rankings and promotional opportunities while simultaneously hindering rival AI companies, including his own, xAI.

Musk's assertions, made via a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), center on Apple's "Must Have" section, a prominent feature showcasing selected apps to millions of iPhone users. He contends that Apple's refusal to include both the X platform, which he describes as the world's leading news app, and Grok, xAI's chatbot (currently ranked fifth overall in app popularity), constitutes blatant favoritism. This, he argues, is not simply a matter of standard business practices but a deliberate strategy to stifle competition within the burgeoning AI market.

The billionaire explicitly termed Apple's actions an "unequivocal antitrust violation," further alleging that Apple makes it exceptionally difficult for AI companies other than OpenAI to achieve top rankings. Musk's pointed criticism highlights the significant impact of App Store promotion on app downloads and overall success; exclusion from the "Must Have" section, he suggests, represents a deliberate attempt to manipulate market dynamics to OpenAI's benefit. He directly questioned Apple's motives, wondering if "politics" were at play in their promotional choices.

Intriguingly, at the time of Musk's public pronouncements, neither Apple, OpenAI, nor xAI had offered any official response to the allegations. The timing of these accusations, and the lack of immediate rebuttal, adds another layer of complexity to this unfolding technological and legal drama. xAI, Musk announced, intends to pursue legal action against Apple, promising swift and decisive antitrust litigation.