Is Apple Picking Its Favorite AI Like It’s Choosing a Favorite Child?

Elon Musk says Apple is playing favorites in the App Store, and he’s not here for it. According to him, Apple is rolling out the red carpet for OpenAI’s ChatGPT while leaving his AI app, Grok, standing outside in the rain like the kid no one picked for dodgeball. He’s calling it an “unequivocal antitrust violation”, which is fancy legal talk for “you’re cheating”, and says he might sue Apple faster than you can say “update required.” Keep in mind, Apple is already busy swatting away lawsuits, fines, and government investigations like flies at a summer barbecue.

You might be thinking, “Why should I care if two billionaires are throwing shade at each other?” Because this isn’t just billionaire drama, it’s about who decides what technology you get shoved in your face. The App Store is like the front shelf at the grocery store. The stuff up front gets bought. The stuff shoved on the bottom shelf behind the broom? No one even knows it exists. If Apple really is handpicking who gets the prime spots, that means your “choices” aren’t really choices at all.

Elon’s big plan here is not rocket science (though he does that too). He wants Grok to get the same VIP treatment ChatGPT is getting. Right now, ChatGPT is chilling at number one in the U.S. App Store and is the only AI chatbot in Apple’s “Must-Have Apps” section, basically the cool kids’ lunch table. Grok is at number five, which sounds fine… until you remember that in the app world, number five is the equivalent of “that one kid sitting alone in the cafeteria playing with their juice box.” Musk isn’t just fighting OpenAI; he’s also going toe-to-toe with Apple itself, because Apple’s picks decide who gets noticed and who gets ghosted.

If you’re a CEO or founder, imagine spending years building a product only for it to be buried under apps that got the nod from Apple’s secret “cool list.” If you’re a manager or employee, it’s about whether the tools that could make your life easier ever make it to your screen. And if you’re just a regular person, it’s about whether the app you think is “the best” is actually the best, or just the one Apple decided to parade in front of you.

Here’s what you should be asking: Who’s really in charge of deciding what’s “must-have”? Is this about quality or connections? And if the perfect app for you is stuck in the App Store basement, how would you even know? This isn’t just Musk vs. Apple, it’s about a handful of tech giants quietly deciding what the rest of us get to use.

If Apple really is playing kingmaker in the App Store, how will that affect you, your business, your cousin who just launched an app, or your grandma who still can’t figure out how to close Safari tabs? And honestly… if the robots take over, do you think Apple will put them in the “Must-Have” section too, or will they also have to fight for page five?

- Matt Masinga