Musk's X Corp and SpaceXAI drop antitrust claims against Apple, keep suing OpenAI ahead of a Jan 2027 trial
On Sept 14, 2026 X Corp and SpaceXAI (formerly xAI) asked the federal court in Fort Worth, Texas to dismiss with prejudice their antitrust claims against Apple, saying the claims had been "resolved". The suit, filed in August 2025, alleged that Apple and OpenAI colluded through the ChatGPT integration in Apple Intelligence to shut out rival chatbots. The claims against OpenAI continue toward a trial set for Jan 11, 2027 before Judge Mark Pittman. A judge later refused to let OpenAI see the confidential Apple settlement.
Key facts
- Case: X Corp. v. Apple Inc., No. 4:25-cv-00914 (N.D. Tex.), Judge Mark Pittman; filed August 2025
- Original claims: Apple's exclusive ChatGPT integration into Siri/Apple Intelligence and App Store treatment shut rival chatbot makers (Grok) out of the market
- Sept 14, 2026: plaintiffs dismiss Apple with prejudice; 'Plaintiffs have resolved their claims in this Action against Defendant Apple Inc.'; Apple did not oppose; no terms disclosed
- OpenAI said it was 'not part of the dismissal agreement' and asked to see its terms; the court denied that request (reported Sept 21)
- Claims against OpenAI Foundation, OpenAI LLC and OpenAI OpCo remain; trial set for Jan 11, 2027 (schedule modified Apr 16, 2026)
- Earlier, in November 2025, a judge let the suit proceed, rejecting OpenAI's and Apple's motions to dismiss
What happened
In August 2025 X Corp and xAI sued Apple and OpenAI in the Northern District of Texas. They claimed that Apple's decision to build ChatGPT into Siri and Apple Intelligence, and its App Store treatment of competing chatbots, was an unlawful arrangement to lock rivals like Grok out of both smartphones and generative AI. Apple replied that "choosing one partner first is not unlawful", and OpenAI called the suit part of Musk's "ongoing pattern of harassment". The court let the case proceed in November 2025.
On Sept 14, 2026, after SpaceX had absorbed xAI (now SpaceXAI), the plaintiffs dismissed Apple with prejudice, saying the claims were resolved. No terms were disclosed. OpenAI said it was not party to the deal and sought its terms, but the judge refused to let it see the confidential settlement. The case against OpenAI is set for trial on Jan 11, 2027.
Why it matters
It removes Apple from one of the main antitrust fights over AI distribution, leaving OpenAI as the only defendant. The timing lines up with OpenAI's own complaints (Sept 23, 2026) that its Apple integration had underperformed. The January 2027 trial is a date to watch.
Changelog
- 2026-09-30: created (from leads queue; lead said "mid-Sept", confirmed as Sept 14 filing)
Related events
- SpaceX absorbs xAI in a $1.25 trillion merger (later rebranded SpaceXAI) ★★★★
- Court filings: OpenAI says Apple's ChatGPT-in-Siri integration 'dramatically underperformed' ★★
- SpaceX exercises its option to buy Cursor maker Anysphere for $60B in stock; deal closes Aug 14 ★★★★
Sources (6)
- press9to5Mac: X and SpaceXAI move to drop Apple from antitrust lawsuit, keep claims against OpenAI
- pressBloomberg: Musk's xAI resolves claims against Apple over AI competition
- pressYahoo Finance: Musk's X Corp and SpaceXAI drop antitrust claims against Apple
- docsCourtListener docket: X Corp. v. Apple Inc., 4:25-cv-00914
- pressMac Observer: Apple's settlement with Musk's X stays secret as judge denies OpenAI's bid
- pressBloomberg Law: OpenAI, Apple lose bid to toss Musk xAI suit over competition
id: 2026-09-14-x-spacexai-drop-apple-antitrust-claims · updated 2026-09-30 · open in the interactive timeline