Elon Musk Accuses Apple of Ranking Bias in AI App Competition
A fresh battle in the AI industry has erupted, with tech billionaire Elon Musk threatening to sue Apple over alleged bias in its App Store rankings. Musk claims that the tech giant is deliberately favoring OpenAI’s ChatGPT while making it harder for competing apps, including xAI’s Grok, to secure prominent positions in the store’s “Must Have” section.
Musk, who leads X (formerly Twitter) and xAI, voiced his frustration on X, directly tagging Apple in a public post. He accused the Cupertino-based company of manipulating the rankings in favor of its AI partner, OpenAI. According to Musk, X holds the title of “#1 news app in the world,” while Grok currently ranks fifth among all apps globally — yet neither appears in Apple’s featured lists.
Musk’s Strong Words and Legal Threats
In one of his most pointed public statements against Apple to date, Musk wrote, “Hey @Apple App Store, why do you refuse to put either X or Grok in your ‘Must Have’ section when X is the #1 news app in the world and Grok is #5 among all apps? Are you playing politics? What gives? Inquiring minds want to know.”
In a follow-up post, Musk escalated the matter, hinting at legal action. “Apple didn’t just put their thumb on the scale, they put their whole body!” he said, suggesting that the company’s actions could be considered an antitrust violation. The Tesla and SpaceX chief has a long history of challenging large corporations he perceives as stifling competition, and this latest accusation could lead to a major legal and regulatory showdown.
The Rising Rivalry Between xAI and OpenAI
The dispute comes at a critical time in the AI race. OpenAI recently unveiled its next-generation model, GPT-5, further cementing its dominance in the space. Meanwhile, Musk’s xAI has been aggressively expanding its capabilities, launching Grok 4 last month and making the AI model free for all users worldwide. This move boosted Grok’s ranking to fifth place according to analytics firm App Figures — but still behind ChatGPT.
The rivalry is more than just corporate competition; it is also personal. Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but parted ways in 2018, citing strategic disagreements. Since then, his public remarks toward OpenAI and its leadership, including CEO Sam Altman, have often been critical. Musk positions xAI as a more transparent and “truth-focused” alternative to what he calls overly controlled AI models.
Sam Altman Fires Back
The public spat intensified when OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded to Musk’s accusations. In a sharply worded post, Altman said, “This is a remarkable claim given what I have heard alleged that Elon does to manipulate X to benefit himself and his own companies and harm his competitors and people he doesn’t like.”
Altman’s response not only dismissed Musk’s claims but also turned the spotlight back on Musk’s own business practices. The exchange has fueled speculation that the dispute could escalate beyond public statements into a sustained rivalry that plays out across products, platforms, and legal arenas.
Apple’s Strategic Position in AI Partnerships
Apple, for its part, has yet to respond publicly to Musk’s accusations. However, the company has an existing partnership with OpenAI, integrating ChatGPT capabilities into its software ecosystem. Industry analysts suggest that Apple’s featuring decisions may be influenced by this collaboration, though proving intentional bias in rankings could be difficult.
The timing is significant. As Apple integrates more AI into its products, the choice of partners and the way it promotes AI apps could have a major influence on market dynamics. Any antitrust investigation into the App Store’s ranking methodology could have far-reaching consequences for developers and the broader tech industry.
Growing Stakes in the AI Wars
This latest clash is part of a broader AI arms race where companies are competing not just on technological capabilities, but also on visibility, distribution, and user adoption. App store rankings can heavily influence which tools gain traction with mainstream audiences, making them a critical battleground.
For Musk, the fight is about more than just app placement — it is about breaking what he perceives as entrenched partnerships that stifle competition. For Apple and OpenAI, the priority appears to be maintaining their dominant positions amid a flood of new AI entrants.
As the dispute unfolds, the tech world will be watching closely to see whether Musk’s legal threats materialize and whether regulators take interest in the case. With the stakes so high, the “AI war” between Musk’s xAI and Altman’s OpenAI is showing no signs of cooling down.
