Elon Musk Says xAI Will Sue Apple Over App Store AI Rankings

Elon Musk has a new target in his growing list of legal battles — Apple. On Monday, the billionaire said his AI company, xAI, plans to take “immediate legal action” against the iPhone maker, accusing it of antitrust violations in how it ranks AI apps on the App Store.

Musk’s Complaint: Apple Is Favoring ChatGPT

Musk claims Apple’s ranking practices make it impossible for any AI app other than OpenAI’s ChatGPT to hit the number one spot in the store. “Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation,” he wrote on X, his social media platform.

The post didn’t come with evidence, and Apple, OpenAI, and xAI have all stayed silent in response to media requests. But third-party data does paint a competitive picture: Sensor Tower says ChatGPT currently sits at the top of the US iPhone free app charts, xAI’s Grok is in fifth place, and Google’s Gemini chatbot is much further down at 57th.

Musk also pointed to Apple’s “Must-Have Apps” list, where ChatGPT is the only AI chatbot featured. He questioned why X — which he says is the number one news app globally — and Grok, ranked fifth overall, didn’t make the cut. “Are you playing politics?” he asked, suggesting Apple’s partnership with OpenAI might be influencing decisions.

The Bigger Backdrop: Musk vs. OpenAI

This dust-up is the latest chapter in Musk’s ongoing feud with OpenAI, the company he co-founded in 2015 and left in 2018. He’s already suing OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, claiming they’ve drifted away from their original nonprofit mission to benefit humanity

Grok’s quick rise to fifth place follows OpenAI’s launch of GPT-5 and comes about a month after xAI released Grok 4. The app’s growth signals Musk’s intent to challenge OpenAI’s dominance, even as Apple’s platform continues to spotlight ChatGPT.

What’s Next

There’s no timeline yet for when xAI might file its lawsuit, but Musk’s public call-out suggests he’s ready to escalate. The question is whether his claims can hold up in court — and if regulators will see it as another example of Apple’s market dominance, or just competitive frustration.

Either way, this fight could set the stage for yet another high-profile battle over how Apple runs its App Store, and who gets visibility in an era where AI apps are exploding in popularity.

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