xAI fires legal rocket at Apple and OpenAI claiming they're locking out Grok
- Reference: 1756144972
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/08/25/xai_apple_openai_lawsuit/
- Source link:
"OpenAI controls at least 80 percent of the market. Because of OpenAI’s monopoly, other generative AI chatbots have struggled to gain share," the [1]lawsuit [PDF] complains.
"xAI’s Grok has yet to gain more than a few percent of the market despite accolades about its superior features. Just like Apple, OpenAI has incentive to protect its monopoly by thwarting competition and innovation in the generative AI chatbot market. And just like Apple, it has done so in violation of the antitrust laws."
[2]
In 61 pages of court documents xAI filed on Monday in the Northern District of Texas, xAI claims that [3]Apple's June [4]deal with OpenAI to integrate with Cupertino's kit was a breach of antitrust laws. Specifically Musk's company accuses the pair of violating six counts under the 1890 Sherman Act, and one each of civil conspiracy and unfair conspiracy, and two counts under the Texas Free Enterprise and Antitrust Act. Musk's social media platform X (formerly Twitter), which agreed to acquire xAI earlier this year, was also named as a plaintiff.
[5]
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OpenAI is less than impressed, telling The Register "This latest filing is consistent with Mr Musk’s ongoing pattern of harassment." Apple and xAI have yet to resapond to requests for comment.
xAI claims that the launch of ChatGPT in 2022 "blindsided" Apple and that the iPhone iterator has been playing catch-up ever since, worried that "super apps" - such as the one xAI claims to be developing - will erode Siri's position as the digital assistant of choice. It claims that Apple signed an exclusive deal with OpenAI, despite the fact that you can upload other AI search tools like Grok, Gemini, and others, to iOS and macOS.
[7]
It's true that Apple has been slow to take up AI on its platform, lacking a serious alternative to other LLM models. At last week's Google Pixel 10 launch, the Chocolate Factory was [8]somewhat scathing about Apple's decision to delay full AI integration into the next generation of iKit.
But the lawsuit claims that "Apple’s use of its monopoly power to favor ChatGPT in its App Store rankings and to delay reviews of Grok app updates prevents Grok - one of the biggest threats to ChatGPT - from gaining access to user prompts needed to scale."
It accuses Apple of downgrading other AI apps in favor of ChatGPT. While the lawsuit acknowledges iPhones can use other AI engines, it claims that OpenAI competitors don't get enough promotion.
[9]
The lawsuit cites the list of "Must-Have Apps" posted on Sunday, in which OpenAI was the only AI app listed. Also included were Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble. Musk's lawyers claim that Cook & Co's statement in the T&Cs that Apple's store "is designed to be fair and free of bias," is a lie.
[10]Musk wants to ban Apple at his companies for cosying up to OpenAI
[11]Elon Musk's Grok chatbot posts Mein Kampf 2.0 in now-deleted X rant
[12]Elon Musk blasts off from OpenAI to focus on cars, how to make smart code fair, and more
[13]Meta bets you want a sprinkle of social in your chatbot
Musk first started complaining about the alleged unfair treatment on August 11, when he claimed antitrust violations on the App Store favoring OpenAI. Commenters were quick to point out that DeepSeek had got a number one rating in the software souk. OpenAI's boss [14]fired back with the comment "Will you sign an affidavit that you have never directed changes to the X algorithm in a way that has hurt your competitors or helped your own companies? I will apologize if so."
Humiliatingly, Grok - xAI's own engine - agreed with Musk's competitor when it posted a response to Sam Altman's own X post about the matter on August 11.
"Sam Altman is right. Musk's Apple antitrust claim is undermined by apps like DeepSeek and Perplexity reaching [top rankings] in 2025. Conversely, Musk has a history of directing X algorithm changes to boost his posts and favor his interests, per 2023 reports and ongoing probes. Hypocrisy noted," it [15]stated .
Oddly, the lawsuit doesn't mention AI companies buying access to other platforms. Take, for example, xAI [16]paying Telegram $300 million to become the default AI search tool for the messaging service. ®
Get our [17]Tech Resources
[1] https://regmedia.co.uk/2025/08/25/xai_lawsuit.pdf
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aKzc84KBSEbwgfM-heBC0AAAARY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/09/apple_wwdc_2025_keynote/
[4] https://openai.com/index/openai-and-apple-announce-partnership/
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aKzc84KBSEbwgfM-heBC0AAAARY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aKzc84KBSEbwgfM-heBC0AAAARY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aKzc84KBSEbwgfM-heBC0AAAARY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/20/google_pixel_10/
[9] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aKzc84KBSEbwgfM-heBC0AAAARY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/11/musk_wants_to_ban_apple/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/09/grok_nazi/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2018/02/24/ai_roundup/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/29/metas_standalone_ai_app/
[14] https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1955073616996975095
[15] https://x.com/grok/status/1955284926611537983
[16] https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/28/telegram_takes_300m_xai_cash/
[17] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Nah, the prick is trying to worm his way into the UK energy market. Musk being the pathetic piece of lowlife scum he is, will claim the UK is run by the loony far left if he gets denied.
Won't go anywhere
As usual, this is Musk puffing his weirdly malformed chest (rumours abound it's what happens when you do HGH and don't work out like an absolute fiend) and hoping people will forget about when he drops it come the "discovery" stage, where his company would need to provide documentary evidence of who, specifically, keeps adjusting Grok to be a full blown white supremacist propaganda bot.
By that point Musk will probably be out of his current k-hole and will have a nasty reminder that he launched this legal misadventure.
You know, like most of the lawsuits he sparks up to get press attention.
He's doing a good job of proving that neither billionaires nor racist are the smartest people around.
I mean, given that Grok seems to be trained on whatever Musk’s current weird beliefs are, freezing him out of the market does seem to be the best option for the world.
Can we just.....
Strap the nazi to one of his own rockets and launch it to Mars?
Re: Can we just.....
Watch what you ask for... that's actually kind of what he wants.
Come on Musk, it's not a monopoly per se , maybe a self-imposed one though since you made it really easy for competitors to take market share from you. Perhaps you should innovate your trashy product instead of whining*.
* Yes, I know that this is just another drama episode about his conflict with Altman.
There plenty of space
in the market for another shite "AI" product.
GASP!
Discerning Apple users arent as racist, *phobic or nazi oriented as Musk?
Clearly must be store rigging...
Accolades. Superior features...
... Like what?
The Elmer doesn't get that people don't want Grok and its rubbish, primarily because of *him* and his shitty views and actions! His right-wing MAGA massive are the only ones using it.
Funny how
Other automakers didn't sue Tesla for having a far greater than 80% "monopoly" on the EV market in the US. But I guess he would say that was deserved, while OpenAI is cheating.
Rather than admit the real issue, which is that his chatbot has gone racist multiple times because he's deliberately trying to make a right wing propaganda bot. So MAGA people may like it because it will confirm their false narratives (and Musk will "correct" it when it accidentally speaks the truth) but regular people don't want anything to do with AI that has been deliberately perverted to say only what its creator approves of. That's why it is never on top of the download charts, and never will be.
Musk hasn't been in the press for a week or so now, so i supposed this was predictable...