The ongoing US antitrust trial against Google has exposed the company’s strategic plans for AI expansion and raised the prospect of a forced Chrome browser sale, attracting interest from multiple tech companies ready to spend billions.
Google’s AI Expansion Plans Revealed
Court documents show Google considered exclusive deals with Android device manufacturers, including Samsung, that would bundle Google Search, Gemini AI, and Chrome browser as default applications. These arrangements would have extended Google’s reach beyond search into the growing AI market.
The Justice Department views these potential agreements as attempts to “reinforce Google’s dominance in the search market” and potentially “stifle competition in the nascent AI space.” Google maintains the market remains competitive.
Yahoo, OpenAI Express Interest in Chrome
If the court orders Google to sell Chrome as an antitrust remedy, Yahoo stands ready to bid. Brian Provost, Yahoo Search General Manager, testified during the trial that his company estimates Chrome’s value “in the tens of billions of dollars.”
“Chrome is arguably the most important strategic player on the web,” Provost stated. “We would be able to pursue it with Apollo,” referring to Yahoo’s owner Apollo Global Management.
Yahoo isn’t alone. OpenAI executive Nick Turley confirmed during testimony on April 22 that his company would also bid for Chrome if it became available.
“Yes, we would, as would many other parties,” Turley said when asked if OpenAI would seek to buy Google’s browser.
The interest in Chrome stems from its dominant market position – approximately 64% of internet users rely on Chrome, compared to 21% using Apple’s Safari, according to analytics firm Similarweb.
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AI Partnerships Rejected
The trial also revealed that OpenAI unsuccessfully attempted to partner with Google last year to integrate Google search results into ChatGPT.
“We believe having multiple partners, and in particular Google’s API, would enable us to provide a better product to users,” OpenAI told Google in an email shown at trial. Google declined the request in August, citing concerns about involving too many competitors.
“We have no partnership with Google today,” Turley testified.
Broader Antitrust Context
The current trial phase focuses on remedies after Judge Amit Mehta ruled last year that Google illegally monopolized the search market through exclusive agreements with device manufacturers like Samsung.
In response, Google has recently modified its agreements with Samsung, Motorola, AT&T, and Verizon to allow them to install competing search offerings. The company argues these non-exclusive agreements should satisfy the court’s concerns.
The Justice Department wants stronger measures, including banning Google from making payments to secure default search placement on devices.
Potential Industry Ripple Effects
A forced Chrome sale would likely include divesting the open-source Chromium platform that powers many other browsers, including Microsoft Edge and Opera.
For companies like Yahoo, acquiring Chrome could provide an immediate boost in search traffic. Yahoo has been working to “revitalize” its search engine since Apollo’s 2021 acquisition from Verizon.
The trial continues with tech giants like Meta, Amazon, and Apple closely monitoring proceedings as they face their own antitrust challenges.
