A public spat has erupted between tech billionaires Elon Musk and Sam Altman over allegations that Apple is favouring OpenAI’s ChatGPT over rival artificial intelligence applications on its App Store. “Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation. xAI will take immediate legal action,” Musk said in a post on X.
Also read: Apple Announces Partnership with OpenAI at WWDC 2024, ChatGPT Comes to Siri
Accusing Apple of stifling competition, Musk added, “Apple is the gateway to the Internet for half of America. They are making it impossible for any other AI company to succeed by relentlessly promoting OpenAI in every way possible.” Elon Musk has been critical of Apple ever since the tech giant announced that it would be integrating integrating ChatGPT into experiences within iOS, iPadOS, and macOS at WWDC 2024.
“It’s patently absurd that Apple isn’t smart enough to make their own AI, yet is somehow capable of ensuring that OpenAI will protect your security and privacy. Apple has no clue what’s actually going on once they hand your data over to OpenAI. They’re selling you down the river,” Musk had said after the announcement.
Also read: Apple Not Smart Enough to Make its Own AI – Elon Musk on Apple ChatGPT Partnership
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, dismissed Musk’s charges, calling them “a remarkable claim” in light of allegations about Musk’s own business practices. “I have heard alleged that Elon does to manipulate X to benefit himself and his own companies and harm his competitors and people he doesn’t like,” Altman said. “I hope someone will get counter-discovery on this. I and many others would love to know what’s been happening. But OpenAI will just stay focused on making great products,” he added.
The comments come amid growing scrutiny of Apple’s role as a gatekeeper in the app economy, with regulators in multiple countries investigating its App Store policies. Neither Apple nor xAI has issued further comment on the matter.
