Apple Denies Elon Musk’s Claims of App Store Bias Toward OpenAI
Apple has responded to accusations from Elon Musk that it unfairly favors OpenAI in its App Store rankings, making it difficult for competitors like his xAI to reach the top. The tech giant denied any bias, stating that the App Store is designed to be fair and impartial.
In a statement, Apple explained that its platform features thousands of apps through charts, algorithmic recommendations, and expert-curated lists based on objective criteria. The company emphasized its goal of providing safe app discovery for users while offering developers opportunities to increase visibility, especially in fast-growing categories like AI.
Musk, the founder of xAI, accused Apple of antitrust violations in a post on X, claiming that OpenAI receives preferential treatment. He threatened legal action, questioning why Apple refuses to feature his apps, X and Grok, in its Must Have section. Musk argued that X is the number one news app globally, while Grok ranks fifth among all apps. He insinuated that Apple may be playing politics but provided no evidence to support his claims.
Notably, other AI apps have topped Apple’s rankings independently. In January, China’s DeepSeek surpassed ChatGPT to become the top free iPhone app. Additionally, Perplexity reached the top spot in India’s App Store in July—both instances occurring after Apple and OpenAI announced their partnership last year.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also weighed in, calling Musk’s accusation a remarkable claim given allegations that Musk manipulates X to benefit his own companies. Musk fired back, calling Altman a liar.
The dispute highlights growing tensions between Musk and major tech firms as AI competition intensifies. Apple maintains that its App Store operates without bias, but Musk’s legal threats suggest this conflict may escalate further.
