Apple, OpenAI ask US judge to dismiss Musk’s suit over AI competition, App Store rankings

Published October 1, 2025
OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken on May 20, 2024. — Reuters/File
OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken on May 20, 2024. — Reuters/File
View of an Apple logo at an Apple store in Paris, France, on April 23, 2025. — Reuters/File
View of an Apple logo at an Apple store in Paris, France, on April 23, 2025. — Reuters/File

Apple and ChatGPT owner OpenAI on Tuesday asked a US federal judge to dismiss a case filed by billionaire Elon Musk’s xAI, which had accused them of illegally conspiring to thwart competition in the field of artificial intelligence.

In a lawsuit filed in August, xAI had said that Apple would have no reason to refrain from more prominently featuring the X app and the Grok app in its App Store if not for its “exclusive” deal with OpenAI.

Musk’s company sought billions of dollars in alleged damages.

“Apple and OpenAI’s agreement is expressly not exclusive, and it is public and widely known that Apple intends to partner with other generative AI chatbots,” lawyers for Apple said in a court filing on Tuesday, while asking the judge to dismiss the case.

Musk’s AI startup xAI and social media X do not “plausibly allege” that the integration of ChatGPT into Apple devices harms competition, they added.

Apple in partnership with OpenAI has integrated ChatGPT into its operating system for iPhones, iPads and Macs.

xAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours on Apple and OpenAI seeking dismissal of the suit.

Opinion

Editorial

Balochistan tragedy
Updated 26 May, 2026

Balochistan tragedy

The state keeps reiterating the role of hostile foreign actors in fomenting unrest, yet seems to be short on ideas on how to prevent the ingress of such actors and their ideologies in Baloch society.
Economic engagement
26 May, 2026

Economic engagement

AN array of investment MoUs valued at $7bn signed during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s China visit signifies...
Flotilla abuse
26 May, 2026

Flotilla abuse

THE testimonies that have emerged from international activists, who were part of a Gaza-bound flotilla, paint a...
In chains
Updated 25 May, 2026

In chains

THE question should never be about who is at the receiving end at any given point in time: an assault on an...
Climate shocks
25 May, 2026

Climate shocks

THE latest State Bank report documenting recurring climatic disasters in Pakistan during the period between 2000 and...
Justice deferred
25 May, 2026

Justice deferred

PAKISTAN’S courts are quick to remind the public that justice takes time. Increasingly, however, it is the conduct...