OpenAI Considered Acquisition of Google Chrome, Executive Reveals During Antitrust Trial
An OpenAI executive revealed during a high-profile antitrust trial that the company would be interested in acquiring Google’s Chrome browser—if regulators succeed in forcing Alphabet to divest it. The disclosure was made Tuesday in Washington, where the U.S. Department of Justice is pressing its case against Google’s dominance in the online search market.
Nick Turley, head of product for ChatGPT, made the statement while testifying at the trial. The DOJ is seeking sweeping remedies to restore competition, arguing that Google has unfairly cemented its monopoly in the search industry through exclusive agreements and platform bundling.
Although Google has never offered Chrome for sale, the judge presiding over the case ruled last year that the tech giant does indeed hold a monopoly in search and related advertising. Google, for its part, has denied wrongdoing and is preparing to appeal the decision, maintaining that its products are chosen by users on merit.
The trial, which is being closely watched by the tech industry, also offers a window into the growing rivalry in generative AI. Prosecutors argued in their opening remarks that Google’s dominance in search could give it an unfair head start in artificial intelligence, allowing it to use its AI tools to further direct users back to its core search platform—tightening its grip on the market even more.
