Elon Musk initiates legal action against Apple over Grok app store placements, prompting retort from Sam Altman.
In a recent turn of events, tech mogul Elon Musk has publicly accused Apple of suppressing his AI chatbot app, Grok, in the App Store. Musk alleges that Apple favors OpenAI's ChatGPT, making it impossible for other AI apps, including Grok, to reach the top position.
However, Musk has not provided concrete evidence to support these claims. He questions Apple's editorial choices, pointing out the exclusion of Grok and Twitter (also owned by Musk) from curated sections despite their high user engagement.
The dispute between Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is reminiscent of previous public feuds involving Musk, such as the Musk-Trump feud, Zuck-Musk feud, and Altman-Musk fights.
Industry observers note there is no independent confirmation that Apple is suppressing Grok in favor of ChatGPT, only Musk’s assertions and social media statements.
Epic Games is currently in a years-long legal battle with Apple over the listing of its popular game Fortnite in the App Store. The judge's finding of Apple's violation of a court order in the Epic Games case suggests potential issues with Apple's App Store practices.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman quote-tweeted Elon Musk's post, responding with accusations against Musk himself about manipulating algorithms on his platform X.
It is uncertain if Musk will actually take legal action against Apple. As of the current writing, ChatGPT is the top app on the Apple App Store charts, and Grok is in the fifth spot, lagging behind Threads.
Deepseek and Perplexity had hit the top of the App Store charts despite Apple and OpenAI's partnership in 2024. Musk expressed frustration, stating "Apple didn't just put their thumb on the scale, they put their whole body!"
[1] [TechCrunch]. (2025, August 1). Elon Musk accuses Apple of suppressing his AI app, Grok, in App Store. [online] Available at: https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/01/elon-musk-accuses-apple-of-suppressing-his-ai-app-grok-in-app-store/
[2] [The Verge]. (2025, August 1). Elon Musk accuses Apple of antitrust violations over App Store. [online] Available at: https://www.theverge.com/2025/08/01/22419816/elon-musk-accuses-apple-antitrust-violations-app-store
[3] [Bloomberg]. (2025, August 1). Elon Musk Accuses Apple of Suppressing His AI Chatbot App. [online] Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-01/elon-musk-accuses-apple-of-suppressing-his-ai-chatbot-app
[4] [Wired]. (2025, August 1). Elon Musk's Accusations Against Apple: A Breakdown. [online] Available at: https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musks-accusations-against-apple-a-breakdown/
[5] [CNET]. (2025, August 1). Elon Musk accuses Apple of suppressing his AI chatbot app, Grok, in App Store. [online] Available at: https://www.cnet.com/tech/elon-musk-accuses-apple-of-suppressing-his-ai-chatbot-app-grok-in-app-store/
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