A dramatic twist has emerged in the U.S. government’s antitrust trial against Google: OpenAI has positioned itself as a potential buyer of the Chrome browser, if regulators compel Alphabet Inc. to sell it. The revelation came during Tuesday’s hearing in Washington, where Nick Turley, head of product for ChatGPT, testified about OpenAI’s wider ambitions in search and artificial intelligence.
A New Player in the Browser Wars?
While Google has not offered Chrome for sale, Turley’s comment under oath that OpenAI would “consider purchasing” the popular browser if it became available has raised eyebrows across the tech industry. “Yes, we would [be interested], as would many other parties,” he stated, according to Bloomberg. Turley added that ownership of Chrome could help OpenAI create “an AI-first experience” for users, deepening the integration of AI into daily web browsing.
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The prospect forms part of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) sweeping efforts to address what it has deemed Google’s unlawful monopoly in search and digital advertising. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta previously ruled that Google used exclusive agreements with device makers like Samsung and carriers like Verizon to maintain its market dominance—practices the DOJ aims to curb through structural remedies, including possible divestitures.
Rejected Partnership
Turley’s testimony also revealed a previously undisclosed 2023 attempt by OpenAI to license Google’s search API for use in ChatGPT. The AI company, facing issues with its current provider—widely known to be Microsoft’s Bing—sought to diversify its real-time search capabilities.
In an internal email presented during the trial, OpenAI wrote: “We believe having multiple partners, and in particular Google’s API, would enable us to provide a better product to users.” However, Google rejected the proposal in August, citing competitive concerns.
“We have no partnership with Google today,” Turley confirmed in court, further supporting the DOJ’s argument that Google’s gatekeeping around search infrastructure hinders competition in the AI space.
DOJ Pushes for Structural Overhaul
The DOJ’s case seeks more than minor adjustments. Prosecutors are pressing for significant structural reforms, including banning Google from paying for default placement on devices and forcing it to share key search data with rivals—moves they argue are essential to level the playing field.
Though Google has recently relaxed exclusivity in deals with manufacturers like Samsung and Motorola, allowing them to pre-install competing services, the DOJ contends these changes are insufficient. The government is calling for tougher, enforceable measures to prevent recurrence of anti-competitive behavior.
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The trial highlights the growing intersection of online search and artificial intelligence. Prosecutors warn that Google’s dominance in one could reinforce its power in the other, a concern that resonates as generative AI becomes integral to how users access and process information. Turley testified that OpenAI aims to eventually have ChatGPT answer 80% of queries without relying on external search engines, but admitted that capability is still years away. Access to Google’s search data—or control over a major browser like Chrome—could significantly accelerate that timeline.