Summary

  • The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has reiterated that it wants Google to divest Chrome to promote competition in internet search.
  • Google may also be required to sell Android if its proposed remedies are ineffective.
  • Meanwhile, the DOJ has offered some relief to Google for its future AI-related acquisitions.

Following an August ruling by a federal court deeming Google a “monopolist,” the US Department of Justice (DOJ) was tasked with finding solutions to curb the company’s dominance. Then in November, the DOJ proposed multiple remedies, one of which was to sell off the Google Chrome browser. Now, in a revised proposal submitted to the court over the weekend, the DOJ has reiterated that it wants Google to divest Chrome, though the search giant has received some good news regarding its current and upcoming AI investments.

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The DOJ, along with 38 state attorneys general, reaffirmed in a 27-page final proposal that they still want Google to sell the Chrome browser “to provide an opportunity for a new rival to operate a significant gateway to search the internet, free of Google’s monopoly control” (via Reuters).

As for the agency’s proposal to sell Android, the filing says this step will need to be taken if the remedies proposed by Google aren’t effective or if the company finds a way to “circumvent” some of the proposed solutions. Commenting on this development, a Google spokesperson told Reuters the “sweeping proposals continue to go miles beyond the Court’s decision, and would harm America’s consumers, economy and national security.”

Some reprieve for Google’s AI investments

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In what will come as some solace for Google, the DOJ dropped its proposal to curb Google’s AI acquisitions. AI startup, Anthropic, which has a considerable investment from Google, told the court last month that losing the funding could cede some of its product’s advantage to rivals like Microsoft and OpenAI.

This change in stance comes after investigators reportedly learned of the “unintended consequences” of banning Google from investing in AI companies like Anthropic. However, prosecutors said Google should be asked to notify the authorities before making AI-related acquisitions.

Google, for its part, submitted a few proposals in December, though selling off Chrome wasn’t one of them. It’s worth mentioning that Google has already confirmed it will appeal the decision. The DOJ’s proposals will go to trial next month under U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta. A remedies ruling is expected to come by summer this year, but that won’t be the end. With the appeal likely taking a year or two, perhaps even more, we won’t know the fate of Google Chrome for a while.