ChatGPT owner OpenAI has expressed interest in buying Google Chrome if Alphabet were asked to divest it.
The offer came this week at an antitrust hearing into the monopoly that the widely used web browser apparently enjoys in the technology industry.
A court trial in a Washington District Court launched by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking at whether to force the sale of the Chrome browser and its search engine capability.
It’s also looking at fining Google possibly billions of dollars over its breach of antitrust regulation.
OpenAI’s desire to own Chrome and Google’s search engine stems from ChatGPT using search around 80% of the time to answer user questions.
ChatGPT head of product Nick Turley told the court that while ChatGPT was an advanced AI tool, it was years away from having its own search technology to deal with basic queries, The New York Post reported.
OpenAI requested access to Google’s API in July 2024, but its request had been declined. “We have no partnership with Google today,” Mr Turley told the court.
He said the DOJ’s request to make Google share search data was one way of addressing anti-competition concerns.
Those concerns include agreements with Apple, Samsung and Mozilla for Google’s search engine to be installed and selected by default.
Google also faces claims that its search monopoly gives it an advantage in the AI market.
US District Judge Amit Mehta is presiding in the case which is expected to go for around three weeks.
It’s been reported that the judge may target the Apple and Samsung deals as remedies to initially address antitrust concerns.
In a blog post published this week, Google Vice President, Regulatory Affairs Lee-Anne Mulholland says the DOJ’s “sweeping remedy” would harm America’s economy.
“We have long said that we disagree with the court’s decision in the case and will appeal. But first the court must decide what remedies best address its liability decision.
“At trial we will show how DOJ’s unprecedented proposals go miles beyond the court’s decision, and would hurt America’s consumers, economy, and technological leadership.
“People use Google because they want to, not because they have to.
“DOJ’s proposal would force browsers and phones to default to search services like Microsoft’s Bing, making it harder for you to access Google,” Ms Mulholland said.
