The complaint, filed by X and xAI (the magnate's companies), argues that the alliance between Apple and OpenAI limits competition on iPhones and deprives users of real alternatives, especially to Grok, the xAI chatbot.
What Musk is complaining about and what he is asking the judge for
According to the document submitted by X and xAI, Apple and OpenAI have reportedly agreed to prioritize the integration of ChatGPT into the iPhone ecosystem, which, according to the plaintiffs, distorts the market and makes it impossible for other AI applications to climb to the top positions in the App Store.
The lawsuit claims Apple controls about 65% of the market. of smartphones in the United States and that OpenAI accounts for at least 80% of generative chatbots; in this context, the agreement would give them an advantageous position that would be difficult to offset.
Plaintiffs seek billions in damages and are seeking a permanent injunction preventing the practices described, as well as a jury trial to resolve the antitrust allegations.
Apple and OpenAI did not immediately comment. about the lawsuit, while OpenAI spokespersons have described Musk's move as part of a pattern of harassment, an assertion the entrepreneur rejects.
The Apple-OpenAI agreement and the role of the App Store
The collaboration between Apple and OpenAI, announced in 2024, allows you to access ChatGPT from Siri and other iPhone, iPad, and Mac services, integrating generative responses directly into the system.
For Musk, this integration at source makes ChatGPT in the sole assistant or with a structural advantage on the iPhone, because it concentrates "billions of requests" from users and relegates competitors that depend on visibility in the app store.
The complaint focuses on the functioning of the App Store.The plaintiffs claim that Apple acts as a gatekeeper, influencing rankings and recommendations, something that, if confirmed, would complicate the takeoff of alternatives like Grok.
Grok has gained traction with successive versions and integration in X, and climbed the download ladder during the summer by offering free features, although it never surpassed ChatGPT for the top spot.
Musk had already warned in X that it would take legal action if it did not see equitable treatment for its ecosystem, accusing Apple of systematically favoring OpenAI within its platform.
Reactions, background and the regulatory pulse
The friction between Musk and OpenAI goes back a long way.The businessman co-founded the organization in 2015 and left it in 2018. Since then, he has criticized its shift toward for-profit models and has filed lawsuits in the United States against the organization and its CEO, Sam Altman.
The dispute has also moved to the public realm, with X crosses in which Altman has accused Musk of manipulating the platform for his benefit, something that Musk categorically denies.
In parallel, attempts and strategic movements have emerged. In the industry: Court documents cited by media outlets point to high-level talks within the industry, although no agreements have materialized regarding OpenAI.
Apple also faces a demanding regulatory environment.In the European Union, it has received significant fines for its conduct in digital markets, including a €1.840 billion fine for music streaming and a €500 million fine for restricting alternative payment methods.
In the United States, the scrutiny is equally intense.The Justice Department is pursuing an antitrust case over Apple's smartphone power, and its long-running battle with Epic Games over App Store rules has resulted in flaws that impact competition in payment methods.
If the Texas court admits the X and xAI theses, a review of how AI is highlighted and distributed on the iPhone could be ordered, and limits could be placed on integration agreements considered exclusionary; otherwise, the Apple-OpenAI pact would be recognized as a competitive practice within the current framework.
In short, the litigation pits Musk against Apple and OpenAI. for control of the gateway to mobile AI, with claims of exclusivity, App Store bias, and impacts on innovation that could redefine the distribution of power in consumer AI.
