A federal judge is weighing the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the outcome of a historic tech antitrust case against Google. The case, which began in 2020, revolves around Google’s dominance in online search and its treatment of competitors.
Google has argued that people use its Chrome browser because they like it, and that exclusive distribution contracts with other companies benefit both parties. However, the government claims that these deals entrench Google’s monopoly and prevent new competitors from entering the market.
The judge is considering remedies such as forcing Google to spin off Chrome or banishing its AI tools from further dominating the search engine landscape. The case has bipartisan support and comes at a critical juncture, as generative AI changes how people search the web and Google shifts its focus to AI products.
Generative AI companies like OpenAI claim that their products are not competing with Google in the general search engine market, but rather offering something new. However, the government argues that this is just a tactic to avoid being held accountable for Google’s dominance.
The judge is expected to issue a ruling on remedies in August and Google plans to appeal the entire monopoly finding after this phase is over. The outcome will have significant implications for online search and competition in the industry.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/05/30/ai-google-search-antitrust-case