TNB Tech Minute: Musk Accuses Apple of Anticompetitive Behavior Over ChatGPT

Summary

WSJ Tech News Briefing: TNB Tech Minute – Musk Accuses Apple of Anticompetitive Behavior Over ChatGPT

Release Date: August 12, 2025
Host: Julie Chang, The Wall Street Journal

The latest episode of the Wall Street Journal's WSJ Tech News Briefing delves into significant developments in the tech industry, highlighting Elon Musk's allegations against Apple, an ambitious acquisition attempt by AI startup Perplexity, and the legal repercussions faced by cryptocurrency entrepreneur Do Kwon. Hosted by Julie Chang, the episode provides in-depth insights into these pivotal stories shaping the technology landscape.

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1. Elon Musk's Accusations Against Apple Over AI Competition

Timestamp: [00:32]

Elon Musk, the renowned billionaire entrepreneur, has initiated a public dispute with Apple, accusing the tech giant of engaging in anticompetitive practices concerning artificial intelligence applications. According to Musk, Apple is promoting OpenAI's ChatGPT while deliberately suppressing the Grok AI chatbot, which is developed by his own company, Xai.

“Elon Musk is pulling Apple into his fight with OpenAI. The billionaire has accused the iPhone maker of behaving anti competitively by promoting OpenAI's ChatGPT while suppressing the Grok AI chatbot in the App Store.” — Julie Chang [00:32]

Musk articulated his frustration on his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), announcing that XAI will pursue immediate legal action against Apple for these alleged practices. This move underscores the intensifying competition in the AI sector and raises questions about platform neutrality and the treatment of rival technologies within major app ecosystems.

Neither Apple nor representatives from Xai responded to requests for comments at the time of the episode's release, leaving the situation poised for further developments.

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2. Perplexity's Bold Offer to Acquire Google's Chrome Browser

Timestamp: [01:05]

In a surprising turn of events, Perplexity, an emerging artificial intelligence startup, has made headlines by offering to purchase Google's Chrome browser for a staggering $34.5 billion. This unsolicited bid comes amid ongoing legal deliberations where a judge is considering mandating Google to divest the Chrome browser to mitigate its dominance in the online search market.

“We exclusively report that artificial intelligence startup Perplexity has offered to buy Google's chrome browser for $34.5 billion.” — Julie Chang [00:45]

Perplexity's offer significantly exceeds the company's estimated valuation of $18 billion, positioning the acquisition as a long-shot endeavor. Nevertheless, the company claims to have secured backing from several investors, indicating some level of confidence in the feasibility of the deal.

However, this ambitious proposition has met resistance, as News Corp’s subsidiaries, the parent company of the Wall Street Journal, have initiated a lawsuit against Perplexity. Google's spokesperson declined to comment on the matter, leaving the outcome of this high-stakes negotiation uncertain.

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3. Legal Developments Surrounding Cryptocurrency Mogul Do Kwon

Timestamp: [01:38]

The podcast also covers the legal woes of Do Kwon, the disgraced South Korean entrepreneur behind the cryptocurrency firm Terraform Labs. Kwon has recently entered a guilty plea to two criminal counts of fraud related to the infamous collapse of his cryptocurrencies, TerraUSD and Luna, which collectively erased approximately $40 billion from the cryptocurrency markets in 2022.

“Do Kwon, the disgraced South Korean cryptocurrency entrepreneur, has pleaded guilty to two criminal counts of fraud.” — Julie Chang [01:20]

In exchange for his plea, federal prosecutors have agreed not to pursue a prison sentence exceeding 12 years and have agreed to drop seven additional charges against him. Kwon's sentencing hearing is scheduled for December, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to address fraud within the volatile cryptocurrency sector.

This case highlights the increasing scrutiny and regulatory pressures faced by cryptocurrency ventures, emphasizing the need for greater accountability and transparency in the industry.

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Conclusion

In this episode of TNB Tech Minute, Julie Chang effectively encapsulates the dynamic and often contentious nature of the tech industry. From Elon Musk's battle against perceived anticompetitive behavior by Apple to Perplexity's audacious attempt to acquire Google's Chrome browser, and the legal consequences faced by Do Kwon, the episode underscores the intricate interplay of competition, regulation, and innovation shaping the future of technology.

Stay tuned for more updates as these stories continue to unfold, impacting the broader tech ecosystem and influencing the strategies of industry leaders.

Transcript

[A]

At the moment, AI can help you search for business advice, but it can't step in to help if things take a bad turn. But how about quickly finding an AI expert who can? Siemens xcelerator Ecosystem helps you connect with top industrial AI providers and find innovative solutions from a single trusted source. That's AI for real from the global market leader in industrial AI, Siemens. Learn more on USA.Siemens.com AI here's your.

[B]

Afternoon TNB Tech Minute for Tuesday, August 12th. I'm Julie Chang for the Wall Street Journal. Elon Musk is pulling Apple into his fight with OpenAI. The billionaire has accused the iPhone maker of behaving anti competitively by promoting OpenAI's ChatGPT while suppressing the Grok AI chatbot in the App Store. Grok is owned by Musk's company Xai. Musk posted on his social platform X last night that XAI will take immediate legal action. Representatives for Apple and Xai didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. We exclusively report that artificial intelligence startup Perplexity has offered to buy Google's chrome browser for $34.5 billion. The unsolicited offer comes at a time when a judge has been weighing whether to force Google to sell the browser to weaken the tech giant's hold on online search. Perplexity's offer is a long shot. It's significantly more than the company's own valuation, estimated at $18 billion. Perplexity told the Journal that several investors have agreed to back the transaction. A spokesperson for Google declined to comment and a note Two subsidiaries of News Corp. Parent company of the Journal, have sued Perplexity. Finally, do Kwon, the disgraced South Korean cryptocurrency entrepreneur, has pleaded guilty to two criminal counts of fraud. Kwon founded crypto firm Terraform Labs, and the crash of two of his coins, TerraUSD and Luna, wiped out $40 billion from the cryptocurrency markets in 2022. In exchange for Kwon's plea, federal prosecutors will not seek a prison sentence of more than 12 years, and they'll drop seven other counts against him. Kwon's sentencing hearing is scheduled for December. And that's it for your TNV Tech minutes for today. We'll have another quick tech update in the morning.

[A]

At the moment, AI can help you search for business advice, but it can't step in to help if things take a bad turn. But how about quickly finding an AI expert who can? Siemens xcelerator ecosystem helps you connect with top industrial AI providers and find innovative solutions from a single trusted source. That's AI for real. From the global market leader in industrial Siemens. Learn more on USA.Siemens.com AI.