Google is fighting to keep the right to bundle its new Gemini AI assistant with flagship apps YouTube and Google Maps as regulators push back over potential antitrust concerns.

In a US courtroom this week, Google’s lawyer John Schmidtlein argued the company should be free to integrate Gemini across its ecosystem, saying there’s “no finding that Maps or YouTube are monopoly products.”

The comments came as the court considers remedies following the earlier ruling that Google illegally monopolised search and search advertising.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) wants to prevent Google from tying Gemini to its popular apps, warning the practice could give the tech giant an unfair advantage in the fast-growing AI market.

Google has already been barred from paying companies to make Search, Chrome or the Play Store default options, but it has yet been decided how far the restrictions should extend to AI.

The debate comes just days before Google’s latest Gemini update rolls out globally on October 13, which will see the AI automatically draw on publicly available data from YouTube, Maps, Flights and Hotels when responding to user queries.

Previously, users could opt out of data sourcing from these services. Under the new settings, this will be the default behaviour.

The move mirrors rival OpenAI’s integration of “mini apps” in ChatGPT, allowing users to interact directly with platforms like Spotify and YouTube.

Google’s strategy aims to keep Gemini competitive by embedding it deeply within its ecosystem, much like Microsoft has done by pairing its Copilot AI with Office software.

But the US judge questioned whether allowing Google to tie access to Gemini, Maps and YouTube could “leverage its dominance” across markets.

The DOJ urged the court to apply the same limitations to Gemini that already apply to Search and Chrome.

A final ruling is expected in the coming months.