OpenAI has expressed interest in acquiring Google’s Chrome browser division if a U.S. court mandates its sale as a remedy for Google’s antitrust ruling.
Bloomberg and TechCrunch reported that Nick Turley, Head of Product for OpenAI’s ChatGPT, testified in court regarding Google’s antitrust case. Turley stated that acquiring Chrome would allow OpenAI to deliver an exceptional user experience and showcase what an AI-first browser could look like.
In August last year, a U.S. court ruled that Google, which dominates about 90% of the global internet search market, abused its market power to suppress competitors.
The court accepted the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) key argument that Google impeded competition by paying billions to web browser and smartphone manufacturers to set Google as the default search engine.
Following the ruling, the DOJ suggested that Google divest its Chrome browser division. Google countered, asserting that search and browser are inseparable. The tech giant has since appealed the court’s decision.
OpenAI has long viewed web browsers as a strategic platform for expanding ChatGPT. Last November, a report from The Information suggested that OpenAI was also developing its web browser. The report indicated that OpenAI had recruited two key figures instrumental in developing Google Chrome, though the company hadn’t yet decided whether to launch its browser.