FazTimes Media: In a new development in the ongoing competition between tech companies, Apple has denied claims made by Elon Musk that the company is giving an unfair advantage to OpenAI’s ChatGPT in its App Store rankings. According to BBC News, Elon Musk, the billionaire who runs X (formerly Twitter) and xAI’s chatbot Grok, said Apple is pushing ChatGPT to the top of the rankings while making it harder for other apps, including his own AI product, to rise.

Musk’s Accusations

In a series of posts on X earlier this week, Musk claimed that Apple’s way of ranking apps is “biased” in favour of ChatGPT. He noted that while X stays number one in the “News” category and his Grok-4 chatbot is free for everyone, Grok is still ranked fifth overall and second in the “Productivity” category. At the same time, ChatGPT, which is made by OpenAI, stays in first place.

Musk said these rankings “don’t make sense” because Grok has become very popular recently and is part of X’s platform. He even threatened to take “immediate legal action” against Apple, though no official lawsuit has been filed yet.

Apple quickly addressed the allegations. In a statement shared by Al Jazeera, the company said:

"The App Store is designed to be fair and unbiased. Rankings are based on clear algorithms, charts, and editorial choices that rely on objective factors. We aim to ensure safe discovery for users and fair chances for developers."

Apple explained that the ranking system uses factors such as download numbers, user interaction, ratings, and editorial suggestions. The company stated that these standards apply to all developers, no matter their size or popularity.

Industry experts point out that Apple typically doesn’t respond directly to public criticism from other tech leaders. This makes their recent response stand out. Apple is also involved in a long legal case with video game company Epic Games. The case led to a court order that required changes to App Store rules, including letting developers tell users about other payment options. Apple is appealing parts of that ruling.

Meanwhile, OpenAI is having a big moment. Just before launching GPT-5, the company announced large bonus payments to about one-third of its 1,000 employees. This arrangement is seen as a way to keep top talent in a highly competitive AI field.

GPT-5, OpenAI’s latest large language model, is now available to everyone. Users with Plus subscriptions get more usage limits, and Pro subscribers can access GPT-5 Pro, which delivers better reasoning and more accurate, context-aware responses.

Musk created Grok, an AI chatbot that’s built into the X platform, as a way to compete with ChatGPT. The latest version, Grok-4, came out recently and claims to offer quicker answers, real-time internet use, and a more fun, joking style of conversation to attract younger users who like memes.

However, Grok hasn’t caught up with ChatGPT in terms of how many people use it. Musk believes that the low usage of Grok is due to the unfair methods Apple employs to rank apps in its App Store. However, Apple believes that the current market dynamics are simply a natural occurrence.

Expert Opinions

Ankit Sharma, a tech analyst from Delhi, spoke to FazTimes Media:

“App discovery is already tough in India because the App Store shows what's popular worldwide. Even if there's any bias—intentional or not—it can hurt local developers. If Musk's actions are real, it might help our domestic tech industry in the long run.”

Priya Nair, a consumer rights activist in Mumbai, said:

“Users care about being clear about why certain apps show up first. We need to hold big tech companies accountable, whether it's Musk or anyone else. That’s what's fair for everyone.”

Global AI Competition Intensifies

This disagreement also shows how competitive the AI industry is now. How much success a company has often depends on how visible its app is. According to BBC News, AI chatbot use has gone up a lot in 2025. ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude, and Musk’s Grok are among the most popular tools.

The Road Ahead

For now, both Apple and Musk are not backing down. People in the industry think Musk might be using this situation to show off Grok’s abilities. He’s using the publicity to get more users — something he’s done before. Apple, on the other hand, probably won’t change how it ranks apps unless forced by the government or courts.

With a U.S. antitrust case coming up and the global race for AI technology getting faster, the next few months could bring more fights between major tech companies. Whether Musk’s claims are true or not, one thing is clear: the battle for AI leadership is far from over. As reported by BBC News and Al Jazeera, and checked by multiple independent sources.

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