Musk’s xAI Lawsuit Targets Apple and OpenAI Over Siri’s ChatGPT Integration

Elon Musk has formally taken Apple and OpenAI to court, accusing the companies of colluding to shut out rivals in both the smartphone and AI chatbot markets. The lawsuit, filed in a Texas federal court by Musk’s AI firm xAI along with X (formerly Twitter), claims Apple’s recent partnership with OpenAI unfairly cements their control.

Siri Integration at the Center

At the heart of the complaint is Apple’s decision to give ChatGPT deep integration with Siri on the iPhone. According to xAI, that effectively makes OpenAI’s chatbot the only generative AI tool with system-level access, leaving competitors like Grok at a structural disadvantage. By tying voice commands and on-device actions so closely to one service, Musk argues, Apple has set barriers that other chatbots cannot easily cross.

Alleged App Store Favoritism

The lawsuit also accuses Apple of stacking the deck in the App Store. Musk points to August 24, when neither Grok nor X made it into Apple’s “Must-Have Apps” showcase despite reportedly ranking higher in category charts. The filing suggests that Apple’s editorial choices keep its preferred partners in the spotlight while reducing visibility for competing services. Apple, however, dismissed those accusations earlier this month when Musk first threatened litigation, calling them “unfounded.”

Dispute Over Data and Updates

Another section of the complaint centers on developer access. Musk alleges Apple slows down approval times for rival updates and limits what user data third-party chatbots can access—resources Musk argues are essential for training models like Grok. The filing characterizes this as a deliberate tactic to box xAI out of meaningful growth and keep OpenAI’s system entrenched.

Relief and Early Pushback

Musk is asking the court to block Apple and OpenAI from what he calls anticompetitive collaboration and is seeking financial damages on top. Apple has not yet responded publicly to the new filing, while OpenAI has brushed it off as nothing more than harassment.

A Longstanding Rift

The case also underscores Musk’s ongoing feud with OpenAI, a company he helped co-found before departing over disagreements about its direction. That exit has fueled multiple lawsuits and sharpened Musk’s rhetoric against the now for-profit AI giant. By pulling Apple into the fight, this new lawsuit widens the battle lines and raises questions over how tightly big tech should control consumer-facing AI.

If the court takes up the case, it could become a pivotal test of how far platform owners like Apple can go in steering which AI tools users can easily access.

Would Musk’s lawsuit change how you think about Apple’s AI integrations? Share your thoughts in the comments below.