Elon Musk Accuses Apple of Favoritism: Will Lawsuits Follow?

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It is safe to say that Elon Musk has formed some grudges with high-profile individuals and companies over the years, and he is not afraid of voicing his disdain. The former Senior Advisor to the President has once again targeted Apple, accusing it of giving OpenAI unnecessary favor by placing ChatGPT at the top of its App Store rankings. Musk claims that this level of preference means no competitor can have an advantage and promises to take legal action against Apple.

In response, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called out Musk for his hypocritical stance, stating that he manipulates X and other companies to benefit himself, putting competitors at a disadvantage.

ChatGPT has been regularly featured in Apple’s App Store editorial content, which would have upset Musk. Even after xAI launched Grok 4, it could not surpass OpenAI’s app in the rankings. While Tesla’s CEO has not specified the kind of legal action he will take against Apple, his recent statement hints that it will likely be related to antitrust violations.

For reference, Musk co-founded OpenAI before severing ties with the company. After the AI startup gained significant notoriety, Musk sued it to prevent its transition from a non-profit to a for-profit business—a case yet to conclude in court. Shortly after Musk’s claims against Apple on X, Altman chimed in, responding that Elon manipulates X and other companies for his own benefit, whether for monetary gain or simply because he does not like certain people or companies.

In a unique start to his ruling against President Donald Trump’s administration on September 30, U.S. District Court Judge William Young included a scanned handwritten note sent to his office. The note read: “Trump has pardons and tanks – what do you have?” At the top of Young’s opinion in AAUP v. Rubio, which ruled that Trump’s effort to deport foreign-born student protesters was unconstitutional.

October 8, 2025

In summary, Altman’s response is calling out Musk’s hypocritical statement about Apple. In a follow-up post, Altman shared a link detailing how Musk created a “special system” where people on X keep seeing his posts first. As the day progresses, we should learn more about what riled up Musk so much that he threatened legal action against Apple. We doubt this is the end of the saga, so stay tuned for updates.

News Source: [Elon Musk’s Twitter post](https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1955073616996975095)

📚 Reading Comprehension Quiz

10 Points

What is the main reason Elon Musk is targeting Apple according to the passage?

A. Apple's placement of ChatGPT at the top of its App Store rankings, giving it an unfair advantage over competitors. B. Apple's editorial content featuring ChatGPT, which upset Musk after xAI launched Grok 4. C. Apple's non-profit status, which upset Musk when OpenAI transitioned to a for-profit business. D. Apple's legal actions against Elon Musk, which he feels are unfair.

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