Elon Musk is suing Apple and the makers of ChatGPT over accusations they are conspiring to thwart competition.

The billionaire’s artificial intelligence company xAI filed the lawsuit in a federal court in Texas yesterday.

The 61-page complaint follows a threat Musk made a fortnight ago, when he accused Apple of unfairly favouring OpenAI and ChatGPT in the iPhone’s app-store rankings for top AI programs.

The lawsuit claims Apple and OpenAI "locked up markets to maintain their monopolies and prevent innovators like X and xAI from competing".

Apple, in partnership with Open AI , has integrated ChatGPT into its operating system for iPhones, iPads and MacBook computers.

The claim states: "If not for its exclusive deal with OpenAI, Apple would have no reason to refrain from more prominently featuring the X app and the Grok app in its app store.

"This is a tale of two monopolists joining forces to ensure their continued dominance in a world rapidly driven by the most powerful technology humanity has ever created, artificial intelligence."

Musk is seeking billions of dollars in alleged damages. But OpenAI has said the lawsuit filed is "consistent" with his "ongoing pattern of harassment" of its company.

The firm’s ChatGPT became the fastest-growing app ever after launching in late 2022.

Photo: Elon Musk. (Pic: Getty Images)