**Elon Musk’s X Corp and SpaceXAI Withdraw Antitrust Lawsuit Against Apple**
In a significant development in the tech industry, Elon Musk’s X Corp and SpaceXAI have officially withdrawn their antitrust lawsuit against Apple. This decision, announced in a court filing on September 14, 2026, marks the end of a legal challenge that accused Apple of colluding with OpenAI to monopolize the generative artificial intelligence market.
The lawsuit, initially filed in August 2025 in a federal court in Fort Worth, Texas, alleged that Apple and OpenAI had violated U.S. antitrust laws by making ChatGPT the exclusive generative AI chatbot integrated into Apple's iPhone operating system. X Corp and SpaceXAI, which is known for developing the Grok chatbot, claimed that this arrangement allowed ChatGPT to access billions of user prompts through various features, including Siri and Apple’s Writing Tools. They argued that this setup not only disadvantaged competing AI companies but also hindered their ability to scale and reach users effectively.
In their complaint, X Corp and SpaceXAI accused Apple and OpenAI of leveraging their positions in both the smartphone and AI markets to reinforce each other's dominance, thereby violating the Sherman Antitrust Act and Texas antitrust law. The lawsuit highlighted concerns over Apple's practices in its App Store, suggesting that the company delayed app reviews and manipulated rankings to disadvantage rival AI chatbots.
Both Apple and OpenAI had sought to have the lawsuit dismissed, but U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman allowed the case to proceed, rejecting their motions in November 2025. In response to Musk's legal actions, OpenAI accused him of engaging in a “campaign of lawfare” against the company, referencing Musk's broader legal challenges against OpenAI, including a separate lawsuit that claimed the organization had strayed from its original mission of developing AI for the benefit of humanity.
Despite dropping the claims against Apple, X Corp and SpaceXAI have indicated that they will continue to pursue their case against OpenAI, which remains a defendant in the ongoing litigation. The reasons behind the decision to withdraw the lawsuit against Apple have not been disclosed, leaving industry observers speculating about potential settlements or strategic shifts.
The lawsuit against Apple was part of a broader conversation about competition and regulation in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence. OpenAI's ChatGPT has emerged as a dominant player in the market, becoming the fastest-growing consumer application in history shortly after its launch in late 2022.
As the legal landscape surrounding AI continues to evolve, the withdrawal of this lawsuit could have implications for future antitrust actions in the tech sector. The decision reflects the complexities and challenges that companies face in navigating competition laws while striving for innovation in a highly competitive environment.
The outcome of the case against OpenAI remains to be seen, as X Corp and SpaceXAI prepare to continue their legal battle in the courts. The developments in this case will likely be closely monitored by industry stakeholders and regulators alike, as they could set important precedents for the intersection of technology, competition, and law.