Grok sides with Altman in clash with Musk over App Store rankings
"Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation," Musk said in a post on his social media network X on Monday, without providing evidence to back his claim.
"xAI will take immediate legal action," he said, referring to his own artificial intelligence company.
X users responded by pointing out that China's DeepSeek AI hit the top spot in the App Store early this year, and Perplexity AI recently ranked number one in the App Store in India.
DeepSeek and Perplexity compete with OpenAI and Musk's startup xAI.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called the accusation "remarkable" in a response on X on Tuesday, adding that Musk was alleged to "manipulate X to benefit himself and his own companies and harm his competitors and people he doesn't like."
Musk then called Altman a "liar" in a heated exchange, prompting the OpenAI boss to ask whether Musk would sign a sworn legal statement declaring that he had never ordered changes to the X algorithm to harm competitors or help his own companies.
A user then asked Grok, xAI's AI assistant, to evaluate the argument. Grok's reply, surprisingly, was in favour of Altman, saying that Musk indeed has a history of directing the X algorithm to be changed to help his own interests, as per ongoing probes.
Forbes reported that Musk responded by saying that Grok relies on legacy media too much, and that this was an issue he intended to fix.
OpenAI and xAI both released new versions of their AI assistants, ChatGPT and Grok, in the past week.
App Store rankings listed ChatGPT as the top free iPhone app on Tuesday, with Grok in fifth place.
Apple did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Factors going into App Store rankings include user engagement, reviews and the number of downloads.
AI wars
OpenAI and Apple announced an alliance in June last year to enhance iPhones and other devices with ChatGPT features.
ChatGPT-5 rolled out free to the nearly 700 million people who use it weekly, OpenAI said in a briefing with journalists last week.
Tech industry rivals Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and xAI have been pouring billions of dollars into artificial intelligence since the blockbuster launch of the first version of ChatGPT in late 2022.
Chinese startup DeepSeek shook up the AI sector early this year with a model that delivers high performance using less costly chips.
OpenAI filed counterclaims against multi-billionaire Musk in April, accusing its former co-founder of waging a "relentless campaign" to damage the organization after it achieved success without him.
OpenAI alleged in legal documents filed at the time in the northern California federal court that Musk became hostile toward the company after abandoning it years before its breakthrough achievements with ChatGPT.
The lawsuit was another round in a bitter feud between the generative AI (genAI) start-up and the world's richest person, who accused OpenAI of betraying its founding mission in a lawsuit last year.
OpenAI alleged in its countersuit that Musk "made it his project to take down OpenAI, and to build a direct competitor that would seize the technological lead -- not for humanity but for Elon Musk."
Musk founded his own genAI startup, xAI, in 2023 to compete with OpenAI and the other major AI players.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
20 minutes ago
- The National
Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence welcomes first undergraduate students
The first cohort of students pursuing a bachelor's degree in AI will soon begin classes at Abu Dhabi's Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence. The university, which opened in 2020 and previously offered only postgraduate programmes, will welcome 115 students who are pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence. They come from 25 countries, with Emiratis making up about a quarter of the cohort, and are joining 300 new master's and PhD students also starting this academic year. An orientation day was held on Wednesday to welcome the new students, with classes starting on August 18. Provost Timothy Baldwin told The National the undergraduate programme offers two tracks, engineering and business. 'There's a lot of flexibility for students to make a decision about exactly what path they want to take,' he said. 'The engineering stream is more focused on the core technical skills ... AI skills such as natural language processing. 'The business stream is more about that periphery, entrepreneurial, finance and communication skills, but all very much within an AI context.' Though several universities in the UAE already offer a bachelor's programme in AI, MBZUAI is the only institution in the country dedicated entirely to AI research and education. The university was launched as part of UAE's strategy to become a global centre for AI development and innovation. The intake follows a highly competitive process, with the university receiving more than 2,000 undergraduate applications and only about 5 per cent accepted. Students also benefit from partnerships the university has with the industry, including companies such as Microsoft. Emirati student Sana Al Ali, 17, is pursuing the business track so she can combine her interest in entrepreneurship with an area of technology. 'More locals are trying to be in the business field and I really want to pursue business because it has been my dream for a while,' she said. 'This university offers a lot of opportunities … they're choosing the best of the best, and they want people who are smart and intellectual to represent the university and keep the high standard.' She said MBZUAI's connections with companies and its internship opportunities would help her gain practical experience alongside her degree. 'This will allow me to see how the real world is, and I can partially work as well and continue my master's degree,' she said. Ms Al Ali hopes to launch her own business one day. 'I want people to see that Emiratis can be part of big industries globally," she said. Jordanian student Islam Aldaraghmeh, 18, who has enrolled in the engineering track, said he wants to focus on artificial general intelligence (AGI), systems designed to think and act like humans. 'I think AI chatbots are revolutionary, I see a lot of potential [in the difference] it can make in the education sector,' he said. 'I believe it's going to solve a huge problem that I have also faced, which is the unavailability of AI tutors. Tutors are expensive and not everyone has access to them.' His interest in AI began while preparing for Jordan's National Maths Olympiad, where he used AI tools to help him train and went on to win a gold medal. 'My main goal with pursuing this degree is to understand AI on a much deeper level, a much more intuitive level,' he said. "I want to explore how to dissect AI like a surgeon. "I joined AI because I'm fascinated about intelligence in general. For example, we study physics to understand the world around us. I study AI to understand intelligence and implement it.' He said his longer-term aim is to set up a research team to develop new algorithms. The demand for AI professionals has surged globally in recent years, driven by the rapid deployment of machine learning, automation and data-driven systems across sectors. A Future of Jobs Report 2025 by the World Economic Forum found that 40 per cent of employers globally are expected to reduce their workforce where AI can automate tasks by 2030. Technology is projected to the most disruptive force in the labour market, with trends in AI and information-processing technology expected to create 11 million jobs, while displacing nine million others at the same time.
Zawya
2 hours ago
- Zawya
W Energy Brings Advanced AI Energy Forecasting Back to Australia in Partnership with Simble
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 14 August 2025 - Australian clean energy innovation takes a leap forward as W Energy, a new energy technology company, teams up with long-established ASX-listed Simble Solutions (ASX: SIS) to deploy AI-driven energy forecasting and management solutions nationwide. Simble has also formally engaged Yongxin Sun, W Energy's founder and former AI Clean Energy GLOBAL lead, to provide technical support and strategic guidance. Mr. Sun combines expertise in finance, large-scale energy project modelling, and applied AI technology. W Energy's AI forecasting platform originated in Australia to enhance solar and battery performance predictions while integrating financial modelling for investors and operators. Due to limited local data early on, the system was trialed in Southeast Asia across Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. These deployments delivered diverse climate and grid datasets, mature near real-time forecasting capabilities, and proven commercial benefits such as reduced investment risk and optimized storage dispatch. Now commercially mature, W Energy and Simble will begin rolling out projects in New South Wales, expanding to Queensland and Victoria. The partnership leverages W Energy's predictive AI for generation, demand, and pricing optimization alongside Simble's established market presence and energy monitoring tools. Together, they will serve commercial buildings, industrial precincts, and regional grid networks, supporting virtual power plants, dynamic pricing response, and grid resilience. This collaboration aligns with Australia's energy transition goals, using AI to boost renewable penetration and grid flexibility. The platform integrates real-time IoT sensor data with historical weather and market information, applies adaptive algorithms for storage dispatch, and incorporates financial scenario modelling to assess project returns under varying conditions—all secured to comply with Australian data standards. Key benefits include higher forecasting accuracy across diverse weather conditions, direct integration of financial metrics into operational decisions, and scalability from small commercial sites to utility-scale assets. Potential applications range from energy cost reductions for commercial customers to enhanced stability in high-renewable regions. W Energy and Simble plan initial deployments in NSW commercial and industrial sites while collaborating with universities and research institutions to refine the AI platform using local data, further improving its accuracy, adaptability, and security. Hashtag: #WEnergy The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. W Energy
Arabian Post
4 hours ago
- Arabian Post
Why Narendra Modi Can't Compromise On Market Access To Us On Agri, Dairy?
By Nitya Chakraborty The India-US trade war over Donald Trump's 50 per cent tariff on Indian exports to the USA with effect from August 27 this year has assumed a major political dimension linking the political future of both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the United States President Donald Trump. For Narendra Modi, the outcome has also personal implications as the decision impacts the future of farmers as also dairy industry in his own state Gujarat. The trade disputes have always have got major political dimensions, but in the current India-US trade talks, five rounds of which have already taken place, the main focus has shifted to the US demand for market access to the Indian agriculture and dairy sectors. The US farmers bodies as also the companies which are involved in agri and dairy products are anxiously waiting as for the first time, the vast Indian market of 1.42 billion population will be opened up to them if Narendra Modi agrees to the Trump pressure in the final round of talks. Why the market access is crucial for the Republican President Donald Trump at the India-US trade talks? The farmers organisations are very powerful in shaping the direction of US politics and they have big political lobbies in the US Congress covering both Republicans and Democrats. The appeasement of the US farmers lobby is a distinct part of the Republicans who depend on the farmers votes in the elections, especially in the swing states. The midterm elections to the Congress and the Senate are due in November 2026. Both Republicans and Democrats are poised for a bitter battle in this crucial poll. The farmers, across the US, especially in the six swing states of the US, will be a determining factor in the 2026 polls. Trump is under tremendous pressure from the US farm lobby which is also a big contributor to the President's election campaign. Any compromise by Trump meaning denial by Narendra Modi of market access to vast agri and dairy sectors in India as also fisheries, will be used by the Democrats in the election campaign terming it as the let down of the farmers by President Trump. Trump can not afford this setback at this hour. That is why the US President is so angry with Prime Minister Narendra Modi since the Indian negotiators in the last round of trade talks in Washington firmly told the US side that no market access to Indian agriculture could be allowed. That is the reason Trump reacted in anger by saying that no further trade talks if tariff issues were not solved. The US team was scheduled to arrive in New Delhi for another round of talks on August 25 this year, but Trump's remarks have cast shadow on the certainty of the Sixth Round of India-US trade talks though till now, the Indian side has got no formal indication for cancellation of the visit. But the signal is clear. The additional 25 per cent tariff due to India's buying of Russian oil is going to take effect from August 27. Trump wants India to indicate two things-first no buying of Russian oil from now and granting market access to the US in Indian agriculture sector. Now for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it is politically suicidal for him to agree to any of the Trump's two demands. The Russian oil tariff issue can be sorted out if there is a sort of agreement between Trump and Putin at the Alaska meeting on August 15. If the final understanding takes a few days more after August 15 following the possibility of a final meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, there is possibility of an escape route on additional 25 per cent tariff if an agreement is reached by the end of the month. But on market access in Indian agriculture issue, the US side is adamant at the directive of Trump. Trump may not agree to the total trade deal if India does not agree to granting US market access in agriculture and dairy industry. Right now as on August 13, two days before the Independence Day address of the Indian Prime Minister, indications are that Narendra Modi has decided to fight President Trump on the agriculture and dairy industry issue. On Thursday, Prime Minister was candid in declaring that he would not compromise farmer's interests and was even ready to pay a heavy personal price to protect the farmers. On Tuesday, the farmers organisations thanked the Prime Minister for his stand to protect the interests of the farmers. Prime Minister in his Independence Day address from Red Fort is expected to take this economic sovereignty and farmers interests issues to a high pitch and try to combat opposition challenge on SIR and Bihar polls. For Narendra Modi, there are some major political compulsions to project him as the protector of farmer's interests and defy Trump pressure on trade and tariff. The agriculture sector has 54.6 per cent of the total Indian workforce while the agriculture and allied activities account for 18.4 per cent of GVA at current prices during 2022-23. Similarly, the dairy market in India is most thriving and its business value in 2024 is estimated at Rs. 18.9 billion. The dairy industry employs eight crore people. Gujarat is the leader along with Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, All are BJP controlled states. As the topmost BJP leader and RSS man, Narendra Modi instinctively can not take any other position. He is getting full backing from the RSS. The US has not only been demanding low tariffs on certain farm products such as corn, soybeans, apples, cotton, almonds and ethanol, but also pitching for allowing entry of its genetically modified produce like maize, soy, canola and cotton into the Indian market. India can not agree to this absurd US demands at the cost of the Indian farmers. The US farmers are highly subsidized by the government. There is a continuous fighting between the farmers of USA and European Union on the extent of subsidy. The EU nations are also known for giving high subsidy to their farmers. New Delhi has traditionally kept agriculture out of Free Trade Agreements with other nations. Granting market access to the US could force India to extend similar concessions to other trading partners. The average Indian farm comprises just 1.08 hectares, compared to 187 hectares in the US. In dairy, the average herd size in India is two to three animals per farmer, compared to hundreds in the US. This difference makes it difficult for small Indian farmers to compete with their US counterparts. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) has cautioned that permanent reduction of agricultural tariffs in the India-US free trade agreement could result in subsidised US grains overwhelming Indian markets during global price downturns. Past evidence shows that global grain prices plummeted between 2014 and 2016, with wheat prices falling under $160 per tonne, devastating African farmers. Food security is a major concern in a highly populated country like India. Indian leaders can not opt for a policy which will allow the market to be dominated by the others having no interest in the well being of the Indian farmers. Latest figures indicate Indian exports to USA in 2024 totalled US$ 78 billion. Out of this total, 55 per cent , will be impacted by the Trump tariff of 25 per cent now and 50 per cent from August 27 if there is no India-US understanding. The labour intensive sectors like textiles, apparels, gems and jewellery are the areas which have been impacted most.. Already, one lakh gem jewellery workers have been affected in Surat, the apparels and textile owners fear the adverse impact affecting lakhs of workers since the US is the prime destination of exports for their products. This is a serious situation at a time when the employment situation in the country is already precarious. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to take all the factors into account. If the US does not continue the trade talks further and India has to pay the additional tariff of 50 per cent from August 27, the adverse impact on Indian economy will be felt immediately and it will intensify. PM has to work out an alternative based on hard analysis of the global trade potentialities. For India, this crisis due to Trump's tariff can be turned into an opportunity to rebuild India. On the basis of strategic independence without depending heavily on any nation. Whether the BJP Prime Minister will take the bait, that is the million dollar question. (IPA Service)
