Musk accuses Apple of bias in app store rankings, threatens legal action

The billionaire owner of Tesla, SpaceX and the social media platform X claimed that Apple’s ranking system makes it “impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach number one,” calling the situation a “clear antitrust violation.”

Musk’s artificial intelligence venture, xAI, developed the chatbot Grok as a direct competitor to ChatGPT, yet it sits sixth among free US apps, while ChatGPT holds the top position. Google’s Gemini is far lower down the list, at 57th.

Musk voiced his criticism late on Monday via X, accusing Apple of keeping his products—both Grok and X—out of the App Store’s “Must Have” list, despite X leading the News chart and Grok recently becoming free to all users with significant feature updates.

He linked the perceived bias to Apple’s close partnership with OpenAI, announced in June 2024, which has integrated ChatGPT into iPhones, iPads and Macs via Apple’s new “Apple Intelligence” tools.

Apple, in a statement carried by several outlets, dismissed Musk’s claims, insisting that its recommendations are based on charts, algorithms and editorial curation that follow objective criteria.

The company said its aim is to “offer safe discovery for users and valuable opportunities for developers,” adding that it works with a broad range of creators to boost app visibility in fast-growing categories.

Musk has threatened “immediate legal action” if the rankings are not addressed, although no case has yet been filed. His criticism comes as Apple faces growing antitrust scrutiny.

In the US, the company is appealing a court order stemming from its high-profile dispute with Epic Games, which required changes to certain App Store rules. In Europe, it is challenging a €500 million fine for restricting app developers from directing users to cheaper alternatives outside the App Store. 

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman hit back at Musk’s remarks, calling them “remarkable” in light of allegations that Musk has manipulated X to benefit his own ventures.

Some industry analysts have also cast doubt on the claim of systemic bias, noting that DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot, topped the App Store charts in January—months after Apple’s OpenAI tie-up.

The row underscores the high stakes in the battle to dominate consumer AI, where App Store prominence can shape the fortunes of emerging technologies. With over a billion iPhone users worldwide, securing the top spot can mean a decisive advantage.

For Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015 before departing three years later, the dispute is part of his broader campaign against what he sees as monopolistic behaviour in Big Tech.

With IANS inputs