Apple has dismissed allegations by Elon Musk that its App Store unfairly favors OpenAI’s ChatGPT over his AI assistant, Grok, calling the claims “unfounded.”
Musk, whose AI startup xAI developed Grok, accused Apple on X of violating antitrust rules by making it “impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1” in App Store rankings.
Grok currently sits at sixth place among the U.S. “Top Free Apps,” while ChatGPT holds the top spot. He vowed that xAI would take “immediate steps” against what he called an “unequivocal antitrust violation.”
Apple rejected the charge, saying the App Store “is designed to be fair and free of bias” and that its featured lists are determined through charts, algorithmic recommendations, and expert curation based on “objective criteria.”
The company added that it aims to provide “safe discovery for users and valuable opportunities for developers” while working with many app creators to improve visibility in fast-changing categories.
Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, whose company is locked in its own legal battles with Apple, mocked the controversy, quipping on X: “Heya AppStore, want to feature Fortnite?”
Musk has not presented evidence to support his claims, and industry data suggests App Store rankings are driven primarily by user downloads and engagement rather than editorial preference.
Still, the dispute underscores rising tensions between tech giants over AI market dominance and platform fairness.
If Musk follows through with legal action, it could bring renewed scrutiny to Apple’s App Store policies, which have already faced challenges from regulators and developers over competition and access.
Written By Rodney Mbua
