Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, faces a setback in his legal battle against Apple and OpenAI, as a US federal judge has ordered him to surrender emails and records from both companies. The ruling by US District Judge Mark Pittman is part of a discovery process in a lawsuit initiated by Musk's AI company, xAI, which claims that Apple and OpenAI have engaged in anti-competitive practices in the AI sector. Musk argues that Apple's partnership with OpenAI limits opportunities for competing AI services on its devices. Despite objections from Musk's legal team regarding the relevance of communications from Tesla and SpaceX, Judge Pittman determined that these records are pertinent to the case. The lawsuit has been progressing slowly since its filing in August 2025, with recent developments including the addition of Apple software chief Craig Federighi as a document custodian. The ongoing legal dispute centers on Musk's allegations of collusion between Apple and OpenAI that harms competition within the AI industry. Both companies have denied any wrongdoing, and the case is expected to continue unfolding in the coming months.