TLDR
- Apple and OpenAI filed dismissal motions against Elon Musk’s xAI antitrust lawsuit in Texas federal court
- xAI alleges Apple’s ChatGPT partnership creates unfair competition and harms Grok chatbot visibility
- Apple confirms its OpenAI deal is non-exclusive with plans to add more AI chatbot partners
- OpenAI claims Musk is waging legal warfare through multiple lawsuits against the company
- xAI seeks billions in damages over alleged App Store ranking manipulation
Apple and OpenAI have requested a federal judge dismiss an antitrust lawsuit filed by Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI. The case centers on claims that their partnership violates competition laws.
The lawsuit was filed in August 2025 by xAI and Musk’s social media platform X. Both companies claim Apple and OpenAI engaged in anticompetitive behavior through their collaboration. xAI alleges the partnership blocks other AI companies from competing fairly in the market.
According to court documents, xAI is seeking billions of dollars in damages. The company claims Apple deliberately reduces visibility for the X app and Grok chatbot in the App Store. xAI argues this stems from what it calls an exclusive arrangement with OpenAI.
Apple integrated ChatGPT into its devices following a June 2024 partnership announcement. The deal brought OpenAI’s chatbot to iPhones, iPads and Mac computers. Users can now access ChatGPT features directly through Apple’s operating systems.
Apple Defends Non-Exclusive Partnership
Apple’s legal team rejected claims of exclusivity in their court filing. Lawyers stated the company publicly plans to integrate additional AI chatbots beyond ChatGPT. They emphasized that antitrust law does not mandate partnerships with all AI providers simultaneously.
The filing argues xAI’s injury claims rely on speculation rather than facts. Apple’s lawyers said xAI seems to expect the company to partner with every AI chatbot regardless of quality or safety standards. They maintain this expectation has no basis in antitrust law.
Apple also addressed allegations about App Store rankings. The company denied deliberately downranking competing AI applications or super apps in search results.
OpenAI Accuses Musk of Legal Campaign
OpenAI filed its own dismissal motion separately from Apple. The company’s lawyers accused Musk of conducting organized legal attacks against OpenAI and ChatGPT. They referenced multiple other lawsuits Musk has filed against the organization.
OpenAI’s legal team argued xAI failed to prove actual harm from ChatGPT’s iPhone integration. They said the lawsuit does not demonstrate the anticompetitive injury required under antitrust law.
Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 alongside current CEO Sam Altman. The organization started as a nonprofit before Musk departed. He later launched xAI as a competing venture.
Musk currently owns both X and xAI. In March 2025, xAI acquired X in an all-stock deal. The transaction valued xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion in equity.
Musk is pursuing another lawsuit against OpenAI in California federal court. That case aims to prevent OpenAI’s conversion from nonprofit to for-profit status. Musk also serves as CEO of electric vehicle maker Tesla and aerospace company SpaceX.
The Fort Worth, Texas court will decide whether to dismiss the xAI antitrust case. Neither xAI, Apple nor OpenAI provided additional comments on the dismissal requests.
