In a significant development during the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) antitrust trial against Google, OpenAI has expressed interest in acquiring the Chrome browser should the court mandate its divestiture. Nick Turley, OpenAI’s Head of Product for ChatGPT, testified that owning Chrome would enable OpenAI to integrate its AI technologies directly into the browsing experience, offering users an “AI-first” browser.
The DOJ’s case against Google centers on allegations of monopolistic practices in the online search market. Prosecutors argue that Google’s dominance is reinforced by exclusive agreements that set its search engine as the default on various devices and browsers, including Chrome. Judge Amit Mehta previously ruled that Google had maintained an illegal monopoly in search, and the current phase of the trial focuses on potential remedies, including the possible divestiture of Chrome.
OpenAI’s interest in Chrome stems from challenges it has faced with its current search provider. Turley revealed that OpenAI had approached Google in July 2023, seeking to integrate Google’s search API into ChatGPT to enhance its capabilities. However, Google declined the request, citing concerns about enabling a competitor.
The potential acquisition of Chrome by OpenAI could have significant implications for the tech industry. Chrome commands a substantial share of the global browser market, and its integration with OpenAI’s technologies could reshape user experiences and competitive dynamics in both the browser and search engine markets. While Google has not indicated any intention to sell Chrome, the DOJ’s proposed remedies aim to restore competition and prevent the leveraging of browser dominance to maintain search monopolies.
