The rivalry between AI chatbots has officially moved from the marketplace to the courtroom. Elon Musk’s xAI, the company behind the Grok chatbot, has filed a sweeping lawsuit against OpenAI and Apple, claiming the two have conspired to unfairly dominate the AI landscape. The suit alleges their partnership is an anticompetitive scheme to sideline competitors like Grok.
At the heart of the matter is the integration of ChatGPT, OpenAI’s popular chatbot, into Apple’s suite of products. According to the lawsuit, this collaboration leverages Apple’s smartphone monopoly to entrench ChatGPT’s market leadership, creating an environment where other AI services cannot thrive. Musk had previously threatened this legal action, claiming Apple was manipulating its app store to favor OpenAI.
This lawsuit is fueled by a long and acrimonious history between Elon Musk and OpenAI, a company he helped create. After leaving in 2018 over strategic disagreements, Musk has relentlessly criticized its commercial direction under CEO Sam Altman. This latest legal filing is the most aggressive move yet in his campaign against his former company.
OpenAI has fired back, suggesting the lawsuit is driven by personal animosity rather than legitimate legal concerns. The company characterized the move as another instance of “harassment” from Musk. As the battle for AI supremacy heats up, this lawsuit could redefine the rules of engagement and determine whether new players like Grok get a fair shot at challenging the reigning champions.