In a fiery exchange that unfolded on a late‑night Twitter Space, Elon Musk slammed Apple’s App Store for “favoring” OpenAI, prompting Sam Altman, the CEO of the same company, to retort that the accusation was baseless. The spat, which attracted thousands of live viewers and sparked debate across tech circles, underscores a growing rift between the world’s two most high‑profile AI powerhouses and the platform that governs much of the industry’s distribution.
The controversy began when Musk, who has been vocally critical of Apple’s approach to AI and data privacy, posted a screenshot of a recent App Store policy update. The update, announced by Apple’s policy team on March 12, tightened guidelines around “large language model” (LLM) services, requiring apps that use external AI APIs to provide on‑device fallbacks and to disclose usage to users. Musk’s caption read: “Looks like the App Store is playing favorites with OpenAI. Where’s the fairness?”
Musk’s comment was not the first to hit Apple’s AI policies. The tech mogul has long complained that Apple’s “App Store gatekeeping” stifles innovation, citing the removal of the official ChatGPT app from the store in 2023 as a prime example. “It’s a slap in the face to developers who want to use powerful AI tools,” Musk tweeted earlier this week, adding a video of an iPhone screen with the ChatGPT app icon crossed out.
Sam Altman, who hosts a daily podcast on AI and frequently speaks at conferences, joined the conversation the next day. In a calm yet firm tone, Altman dismissed Musk’s claims. “Apple’s App Store policies apply equally to all developers,” he said. “OpenAI’s API is no different from any other third‑party service. We’ve complied with all guidelines, and we’re not receiving preferential treatment.”
Altman also referenced the recent “AI‑for‑all” initiative Apple launched last month, which aims to give developers a broader set of tools to integrate AI models while maintaining user privacy. “If you’re looking at the numbers, our usage metrics are identical to those of other LLM providers. The App Store is not a favoring platform,” he added.
The clash has reignited long‑standing questions about the App Store’s role as a gatekeeper for AI applications. In the wake of Apple’s stricter privacy stance, developers have been forced to rethink how they integrate large models on iOS. Many argue that on‑device computation constraints limit the performance of AI tools, effectively forcing developers to rely on Apple’s own on‑device frameworks, such as Core ML, which may favor Apple’s own models.
Musk’s own AI venture, xAI, announced a new chatbot this month that would run primarily on Apple devices. “We need a platform that’s fair, not a biased gatekeeper that rewards certain models over others,” Musk told his followers during a short video clip. The video, which included footage of his new hardware prototype, quickly amassed over 10 million views.
Industry observers see the exchange as part of a broader struggle over AI dominance. Tech analyst Lisa Wu noted, “If Apple can be seen as leaning toward OpenAI, it could create a chilling effect for other AI developers, especially those from open‑source communities or smaller firms.”
Regulators, too, are keeping a close eye. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has launched a preliminary investigation into Apple’s App Store practices, and the European Commission has expressed concerns over the “unfair competitive advantage” that the App Store could create for certain large vendors.
Both Musk and Altman have hinted at next steps. Musk hinted at a potential “open‑source alternative” to the App Store for AI tools, while Altman said OpenAI would lobby the FTC to ensure a level playing field. Whether Apple will adjust its policies remains to be seen, but the heightened scrutiny may force the company to clarify the criteria it uses to evaluate third‑party AI services.
For now, the clash between the two titans is a reminder that the AI race is as much about who controls the platforms as it is about who builds the most sophisticated models. Whether Apple will step back or step up in response to these accusations could shape the direction of AI innovation for years to come.