OpenAI Eyes Chrome Acquisition Amid Google Antitrust Trial, Cites AI Competition Stakes
OpenAI has expressed interest in potentially acquiring Google’s Chrome browser if regulators force its sale, according to testimony from ChatGPT product chief Nick Turley. The remark came during Turley’s appearance in Washington as part of the Department of Justice’s high-profile antitrust trial against Google. The DOJ is seeking significant remedies to curb Google’s dominance in search and related markets, and a judge has already ruled that Google holds a monopoly in both search and search advertising. While Google has not indicated any plans to offload Chrome, it intends to challenge the monopoly ruling through an appeal.
The trial, which is closely watched across the tech industry, has broader implications for the artificial intelligence space. Prosecutors argued that Google’s overwhelming control over search gives it a structural advantage in AI, especially as user data from search helps power generative AI models. They warned that Google could leverage its position to unfairly direct users back to its own platforms. Google, meanwhile, has defended itself by pointing to fierce competition from other tech giants like Meta and Microsoft, arguing that the AI space is still highly contested.
During his testimony, Turley was shown an internal OpenAI memo where he downplayed Google as a threat in the chatbot space. He clarified in court that the document was intended to inspire internal motivation and not a strategic assessment of competitors. Turley also revealed that OpenAI had tried to collaborate with Google by requesting access to its search API after experiencing problems with its then-current provider. Google turned down the proposal in August, citing competitive concerns. Currently, ChatGPT uses Microsoft’s Bing for search capabilities.
Turley also backed the DOJ’s proposal for Google to share its search data with competitors, stating that such access could significantly enhance ChatGPT’s performance. He emphasized the importance of fresh, accurate data in improving the AI’s reliability and noted that ChatGPT is still years away from being able to independently handle the majority of search queries. His testimony underscores the growing overlap between traditional search and AI-powered assistants, and how access to data could be the next battleground for dominance in the tech sector.
Source: Arise