Key Points
- Elon Musk alleges Apple has committed an “unequivocal antitrust violation” by favoring OpenAI.
- Musk questions Apple’s omission of his apps X and Grok from the “Must Have” section.
- Apple denies bias, citing objective charts, algorithms, and expert curation for app rankings.
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman calls Musk’s claim “remarkable” and references past criticism of Musk.
- DeepSeek topped the free‑app chart in January, surpassing ChatGPT.
- Apple’s partnership with OpenAI includes ChatGPT integration into Apple Intelligence and future GPT‑5 use.
Elon Musk’s Antitrust Claim
Elon Musk took to X to assert that Apple has engaged in an “unequivocal antitrust violation” by favoring OpenAI in its App Store rankings. Musk argued that Apple’s practices make it impossible for other AI companies, including his own xAI, to achieve the number one position. He specifically asked Apple why his apps, X and Grok, were not placed in the “Must Have” section, noting that X ranks as the “#1 news app in the world” and Grok sits at number five among all apps. Musk questioned whether politics were influencing the rankings.
Apple’s Response
Apple denied any wrongdoing, stating that its App Store is built to be “fair and free of bias.” The company explained that app visibility is driven by thousands of charts, algorithmic recommendations, and curated lists selected by experts using objective criteria. Apple emphasized its goal of offering safe discovery for users while providing valuable opportunities for developers.
OpenAI’s Reaction
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded on X, labeling Musk’s accusation as a “remarkable claim.” Altman referenced prior allegations that Musk manipulates X to benefit his own businesses and to harm competitors, suggesting that Musk’s current charge fits a broader pattern of criticism.
Market Movements and Partnerships
The story also noted that Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek became the top‑rated free app on Apple’s App Store in January, overtaking ChatGPT. Additionally, Apple maintains an ongoing partnership with OpenAI, integrating ChatGPT into Apple Intelligence for cloud‑based queries. Apple announced that future versions of Apple Intelligence will leverage OpenAI’s GPT‑5 technology across upcoming operating system releases.
Update
An update dated August 12, 2025, mentioned that the story had been revised to include Microsoft’s statement, although the statement itself was not detailed in the provided material.
Source: engadget.com