Elon Musk, founder of xAI, has threatened Apple with immediate legal action, accusing the tech giant of antitrust violations regarding the ranking of his AI chatbot app, Grok. Musk’s claims have been fueled in part by Grok’s remarkable debut as the #5 app on the App Store. At the same time, xAI’s X — formerly known as Twitter — boasts about being the most popular news app in the entire world.
Through X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Musk aired his fears, accusing Apple of being opaque regarding why apps are ranked as they are. Specifically, he wanted to know why X and Grok are absent from the App Store’s “Must Have” section. Given their consistently high rankings, this omission is surprising. His comments indicate he thinks Apple’s choices might be made with politics in mind.
“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. xAI will take immediate legal action.” – Elon Musk
Musk’s comments signal a growing tension between xAI and Apple regarding the competitive landscape in artificial intelligence and app development. Since its release, Grok has hit the top 10 of all apps in the App Store — a clear indication that people want more from their apps. While there is plenty to praise about the app, its exclusion from the “Must Have” section further fuels speculation of Apple’s app promotion methods.
The legal threat from Musk highlights the increasing scrutiny on major tech companies concerning their influence over app visibility and market access. As various companies continue to innovate in AI technology, Musk’s stance may resonate with other developers facing similar challenges.
Musk further amplified his concerns with a pointed inquiry directed at Apple:
“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?” – Elon Musk
The consequences of Musk’s possible legal action, if successful, could be severe and have broader implications beyond xAI and Apple. It would establish a new precedent for how app store ranking practices are investigated across the technology sector. The result will likely have ripple effects on other businesses trying to figure out the same tensions in the highly competitive ecosystem of mobile apps.