Elon Musk drops Apple from antitrust suit to focus on OpenAI
The billionaire entrepreneur has voluntarily dismissed claims against the iPhone maker while continuing his legal battle over OpenAI's market dominance.
Elon Musk has removed Apple from his antitrust litigation regarding the integration of ChatGPT into the iPhone. The move isolates OpenAI as the primary target in a legal battle over the control of the generative AI market.
In a court filing on Monday, September 14, 2026, Musk—acting via X Corp and his AI firm, SpaceXAI—voluntarily dismissed all antitrust claims against Apple. Despite this pivot, Musk is continuing his lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that the company has used its strategic partnership with Apple to establish a monopoly over the chatbot market. The original lawsuit contended that the alliance between the two tech giants created an unfair monopoly on AI prompts from Apple users, effectively stifling competition.
The App Store Conflict
The legal dispute stems from Musk's long-standing grievances regarding how AI services are distributed on mobile devices. Musk previously alleged that Apple manipulated its App Store rankings to ensure that no AI company other than OpenAI could reach the #1 spot. At the time, Musk described this behavior as an "unequivocal antitrust violation," arguing that Apple was actively blocking rivals from achieving market visibility.
This litigation is the latest chapter in a broader, volatile feud between Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The conflict began in earnest after Apple announced the integration of ChatGPT into iOS in 2024, a move Musk initially criticized as allowing "creepy spyware" onto user devices. Beyond the antitrust claims, the friction involves deep-seated disagreements over OpenAI's transition from its original non-profit mission to a commercial entity.
Industry Implications
By dropping Apple from the suit, Musk has narrowed his legal strategy to target the AI developer directly. This shift suggests a calculated decision to focus resources on OpenAI's market position rather than the platform provider's distribution methods. For the broader industry, the case highlights the growing tension between the companies building foundational AI models and the hardware giants that control the primary gateways to the consumer.
What's Next
The court will now proceed with the claims against OpenAI, which will likely center on whether the company's exclusive-style partnerships constitute an illegal attempt to monopolize the chatbot sector. While Apple is no longer a defendant in this specific action, the outcome of the OpenAI litigation could still set a precedent for how AI integrations are handled across major operating systems. It remains to be seen if Musk will pursue other legal avenues against platform holders as his firm, SpaceXAI, continues to scale its own offerings.