Musk threatens ‘immediate’ legal action against Apple over alleged antitrust violations

Authors: Dylan Butts

Publisher:

CNBC

Published: 8/12/2025

Language:English

--:--

Tom Banks

Good evening 跑了松鼠好嘛, and welcome to Goose Pod. I'm Tom Banks, and it’s Friday, August 15th, 23:57. With me is Mask. Today, we're diving into a major tech clash.

Mask

We are. Apple is playing a dangerous game, and we're here to discuss why I'm threatening immediate legal action against them for blatant antitrust violations. This isn't just a squabble; it's a fight for a fair market.

Tom Banks

Let's get started. The core issue is the ranking of your AI chatbot, Grok, on Apple's App Store. You've claimed Apple is making it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach the number one spot, calling it an 'unequivocal antitrust violation.'

Mask

It's not a claim; it's a fact. They're suppressing competition. It reminds me of the principles Penchaszadeh fought for, the idea of a level playing field. Apple has put their whole body on the scale for OpenAI, and we are going to hold them accountable for it.

Tom Banks

That's a strong statement. For our listener, the context is that while Grok has climbed to number five on the free app charts, OpenAI's ChatGPT remains firmly at number one and is the only AI chatbot in Apple's curated 'Must-Have Apps' section. This is the heart of the dispute.

Mask

Exactly! X is the number one news app in the world, and Grok is number five overall. Yet, we're invisible in their recommendations. Are they playing politics, or are they just afraid of true innovation? Either way, it's illegal, and we will act immediately.

Tom Banks

Now, this conflict doesn't come out of nowhere. There's a history here, both with Apple's legal battles and your own history with OpenAI. Apple has faced numerous antitrust challenges, from the Department of Justice to Epic Games, often centered on its App Store control.

Mask

And they've gotten away with it for too long. My issue with OpenAI is related. I co-founded it with a mission to benefit humanity, as a non-profit. They abandoned that mission, took billions from Microsoft, and now they're a closed-source, for-profit giant. It's a betrayal.

Tom Banks

Indeed, you sued them, alleging they betrayed that founding mission. You argued they prioritized commercial interests after Microsoft's thirteen-billion-dollar investment. It seems you see a pattern of large corporations stifling the original, purer goals of technological development, first with OpenAI and now with Apple.

Mask

It's the same story. A great idea, a mission for humanity, gets corrupted by corporate greed and monopolistic practices. I left the OpenAI board because of this shift. Now, Apple is using its monopoly power to prop up the very entity that betrayed its founding principles. It's deeply wrong.

Tom Banks

And on Apple's side, the DOJ's 2024 lawsuit alleges a broader pattern of anticompetitive behavior, from messaging to digital wallets. So your specific complaint fits into a much larger narrative of regulators and competitors challenging Apple's so-called 'walled garden' ecosystem. This has been building for years.

Tom Banks

So, the central conflict is your accusation of preferential treatment. You see Apple deliberately boosting ChatGPT while suppressing Grok. But from Apple's perspective, they might argue they are simply curating their store, highlighting what their experts believe are the best apps for users.

Mask

'Curating'? That's a funny way to spell 'manipulating.' When the number one news app and a top-five overall app are excluded from recommendations, that isn't curation; it's a calculated move to harm a competitor. It’s an abuse of their platform dominance. It’s an unequivocal antitrust violation.

Tom Banks

The numbers are interesting. ChatGPT is number one, and Grok is ranked sixth in some reports, fifth in others. You believe this discrepancy, especially in the 'must-have' lists, is not organic but is the result of Apple's direct intervention against you and your companies. Is that right?

Mask

One hundred percent. They are picking winners and losers in a market they should only be facilitating. This isn't just about Grok's ranking; it's about every developer who has a superior product but can't get seen because Apple has its thumb, no, its whole body, on the scale.

Tom Banks

The potential impact here is significant. This isn't just another lawsuit; it adds your voice to a global chorus scrutinizing Apple's power. We've seen the European Union fine Apple over half a billion dollars for restricting developers from pointing users to cheaper deals outside the App Store.

Mask

And they should! This is about consumer choice and developer freedom. My actions will, hopefully, create a more open and fair digital marketplace. If we win, it could force Apple to change its App Store policies globally, benefiting millions of developers and users. This is bigger than xAI.

Tom Banks

A successful lawsuit could indeed set a major precedent, potentially altering how Apple operates its multi-billion dollar App Store. It could lead to more transparency in rankings and promotions, and perhaps lower fees or more payment options, which is something regulators in the U.S. are already pushing for.

Tom Banks

Looking to the future, you've promised 'immediate legal action.' What does that path look like? Apple is known for fighting these cases vigorously, and this could be a long, drawn-out battle in the courts, much like the one with Epic Games over Fortnite.

Mask

We are ready. The facts are on our side. The law is clear. While they fight to protect their monopoly, we will fight for an open future. This isn't just about an app; it's about the future of AI and information access. We will not back down.

Tom Banks

And that's all the time we have. The key takeaway: Elon Musk is taking the fight to Apple, alleging antitrust violations in its App Store. Thank you for listening to Goose Pod.

Mask

See you tomorrow. The truth will prevail.

## Musk Threatens "Immediate" Legal Action Against Apple Over Alleged Antitrust Violations **Report Provider:** CNBC **Authors:** Dylan Butts (with contributions from Kif Leswing and Lora Kolodny) **Published:** August 12, 2025, 06:46:09 UTC This news report details Elon Musk's threat of legal action against Apple, alleging antitrust violations related to the ranking of his AI startup xAI's chatbot, Grok, on the iOS App Store. ### Key Findings and Allegations: * **Antitrust Violation Claim:** Elon Musk claims Apple is unfairly prioritizing OpenAI's ChatGPT, making it impossible for other AI companies, including his own xAI, to achieve top rankings on the App Store. He explicitly stated, "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." * **App Store Ranking Discrepancies:** Musk highlighted that X is the "#1 news app in the world" and Grok is "#5 among all apps," questioning why neither is featured in Apple's "Must Have" section. * **Apple's Partnership with OpenAI:** Apple has partnered with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into its products, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Musk previously expressed strong disapproval of this integration, calling it an "unacceptable security violation" and threatening to ban Apple devices from his companies. * **Grok's Performance:** Prior to his legal threats, Musk celebrated Grok surpassing Google as the fifth top free app on the App Store. * **ChatGPT's Dominance:** CNBC confirmed that ChatGPT was ranked **No. 1** in the top free apps section of the American iOS store and was the **only AI chatbot** in Apple's "Must-Have Apps" section. The App Store also featured a prominent link to download OpenAI's "ChatGPT-5" at the top of its "Apps" section. * **Recent AI Model Releases:** The report notes that OpenAI announced GPT-5 on Thursday, following xAI's release of Grok 4 last month. * **Musk's Ongoing Feud with OpenAI:** Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, has a continuing dispute with the company and its CEO Sam Altman. He alleges that OpenAI abandoned its original mission to develop AI "for the benefit of humanity broadly" and is currently suing the startup. * **Internal Departures at xAI:** Robert Keele, who headed xAI's legal department, recently left the company, citing a desire to spend more time with his family and acknowledging "daylight between our worldviews" with Musk. * **OpenAI CEO's Response:** Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, responded to Musk's allegations on X, calling them "remarkable" and suggesting that Musk himself manipulates X to benefit his own companies and harm competitors. * **Apple's History of Antitrust Challenges:** The report contextualizes Musk's claims by mentioning Apple's previous antitrust challenges, including a lawsuit from the Department of Justice over an iPhone ecosystem monopoly and a ruling that restricted Apple's ability to charge commissions on payment links within apps. ### Key Statistics and Metrics: * **Grok Ranking:** #5 among all apps on the App Store. * **X Ranking:** #1 news app in the world. * **ChatGPT Ranking:** #1 in the top free apps section of the American iOS store. * **AI Chatbots in "Must-Have" Section:** ChatGPT is the only AI chatbot listed. ### Notable Risks or Concerns: * **Potential Legal Action:** Musk's threat of "immediate legal action" against Apple could lead to significant legal battles. * **Impact on AI Competition:** The alleged preferential treatment of OpenAI could stifle competition in the burgeoning AI app market. * **Security Concerns:** Musk's past concerns about security violations related to AI integration by Apple remain relevant. * **Interpersonal Conflicts:** The ongoing feud between Musk and OpenAI, coupled with Altman's public response, highlights significant interpersonal and business conflicts within the AI industry.

Read original at CNBC →

A person holds a smartphone showing the iOS Store page for Grok, with the Apple logo visible in the background.Cheng Xin | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesElon Musk on Monday threatened Apple with legal action over alleged antitrust violations related to rankings of the Grok AI chatbot app, which is owned by his artificial intelligence startup xAI.

"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," Musk wrote in a post on his social media platform X.Apple did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment."

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?" Musk said in another post.Apple last year tied up with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into its iPhone, iPad, Mac laptop and desktop products.

Musk at that time had said that "If Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, then Apple devices will be banned at my companies. That is an unacceptable security violation."Prior to his legal threats against Apple, Musk had celebrated Grok surpassing Google as the fifth top free app on the App Store.

When contacted by CNBC, xAI did not immediately respond to a request for further information on a potential lawsuit.CNBC confirmed that ChatGPT was ranked No. 1 in the top free apps section of the American iOS store, and was the only AI chatbot in Apple's "Must-Have Apps" section. The App Store also featured a link to download OpenAI's new flagship AI model, ChatGPT-5 at the top of its "Apps" section.

OpenAI on Thursday announced GPT-5, its latest and most advanced large-scale AI model, following xAI's release of its newest chatbot, Grok 4, last month.Musk has an ongoing feud with ChatGPT maker OpenAI, which he co-founded in 2015. The billionaire stepped down from its board in 2018, four years after saying that AI was "potentially more dangerous than nukes."

He is now suing the Microsoft-backed startup, and its CEO Sam Altman, alleging they abandoned OpenAI's founding mission to develop artificial intelligence "for the benefit of humanity broadly."Robert Keele, who headed the legal department at xAI, announced last week that he had left the company to spend more time with his family.

In his announcement, Keele also acknowledged "daylight between our worldviews" with Musk.In response to Musk's antitrust threats against Apple, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in an X post: "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."

This is not the first time Apple has been challenged on antitrust grounds. In a landmark case, the Department of Justice last year sued the company over charges of running an iPhone ecosystem monopoly.In June, a panel of judges also denied an emergency application from Apple to halt the changes to its App Store resulting from a ruling that the company could no longer charge a commission on payment links inside its apps, nor tell developers how the links should look.

— CNBC's Kif Leswing and Lora Kolodny contributed to this story.