Judge Orders Elon Musk’s Companies to Explain Antitrust Claim Withdrawal Against Apple

A federal judge overseeing an antitrust case brought by Elon Musk’s companies against Apple and OpenAI is seeking any settlement agreements that might have led X Corp and SpaceXAI to drop their claims against Apple on Tuesday, according to a report. Judge Mark Pittman, a conservative Trump appointee based in Fort Worth, Texas, instructed the Musk-owned businesses on Wednesday to provide any agreements with Apple related to the decision to dismiss the claims. This ruling follows OpenAI’s motion to compel X to disclose details about its resolution with Apple in the dispute over dominance in the potentially trillion-dollar artificial intelligence market. The motion to voluntarily dismiss the claims was filed without explanation, with a note that X and SpaceXAI will continue to pursue antitrust claims against OpenAI. The lawsuit alleges that Apple and OpenAI are ‘two monopolists joining forces to ensure their continued dominance’ in the AI market, including through alleged manipulation of Apple’s app store rankings. The complaint also highlights an exclusive 2024 deal to integrate OpenAI’s ChatGPT into Apple’s iPhone, and notes that Apple has reportedly signed a new agreement this year to integrate Google’s AI services into its products. This story originally appeared on POLITICO and is courtesy of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, which leverages the resources of its newsrooms to publish ambitious scoops, investigations, interviews, opinion pieces, and analysis. It enables journalists — including those from POLITICS, Themoneytimes, WELT, BILD, Onet, and Fakt — to collaborate on major stories for an international audience of hundreds of millions across platforms.