Elon Musk accuses Apple–OpenAI of AI monopoly; judge allows lawsuit to continue

In a significant development, a federal judge in Fort Worth, Texas, has permitted Elon Musk's X and xAI to continue their lawsuit against tech titans Apple and OpenAI. The ruling, delivered by Judge Mark Pittman, came after the defendants failed to convince the court to dismiss the allegations against them. Musk has accused these major American companies of colluding to monopolize the markets for smartphones and generative AI chatbots. He expressed this sentiment on his social media platform, X, highlighting that the court's decision allows for further examination of the claims made by his companies. Judge Pittman clarified that this ruling is not a final decision on the validity of Musk's claims but rather a green light for the case to move forward. The judge is expected to address factual disputes at a later date. The lawsuit, initiated in August, contends that Apple has breached U.S. antitrust laws by providing ChatGPT with preferential treatment within its Apple Intelligence features on devices like iPhones. According to X Corp, this partnership between Apple and OpenAI has effectively sidelined competing AI technologies by integrating ChatGPT closely within the operating system. X and xAI further argue that Apple has bolstered this advantage by prominently featuring ChatGPT on its “Must-Have Apps” list while sidelining competitors, including Musk's own Grok chatbot. In response, Apple has denied any allegations of anti-competitive behavior, asserting that its agreement with OpenAI is non-exclusive and that a variety of chatbots remain available across browsers and apps. The company insists that choosing one partner does not equate to establishing a monopoly. OpenAI has also pushed back against Musk, labeling the lawsuit as part of what they describe as his ongoing pattern of harassment. The company has stated its intention to defend itself vigorously in court. This legal dispute is just one aspect of the ongoing tensions between Musk and the AI firm, which he co-founded but has since criticized for diverging from its foundational principles.