Sam Altman calls out Elon Musk over antitrust accusations against Apple App Store rankings

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has openly challenged Elon Musk's allegations regarding Apple's supposed favoritism towards OpenAI in App Store rankings. In a post on X, Altman described Musk's assertion as "a remarkable claim," considering the criticisms surrounding Musk's own practices on the social media platform. Musk previously argued that Apple’s actions constitute antitrust violations, claiming it is virtually impossible for any AI company other than OpenAI to secure the top spot in the App Store. He threatened immediate legal action through his company, xAI, stating that Apple’s behavior was unfair. However, Altman pointed out that other AI applications have successfully attained the number one position in the App Store since the partnership between OpenAI and Apple began in June 2024. Notable examples include DeepSeek, which reached the top in January 2025, and Perplexity, which achieved this status in India in July 2025. In response to Musk's comments, Altman expressed a willingness for further scrutiny of the claims made, saying, "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 further tweeted a pointed question to Musk, asking if he would sign an affidavit affirming that he has never manipulated the X algorithm to favor his own businesses or disadvantage competitors. Altman indicated that he would gladly apologize if Musk could prove his innocence. This exchange exemplifies the ongoing rivalry between these two tech giants, which has intensified in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.