2 weeks Ago By Chris Griffith
ChatGPT owner OpenAI has expressed interest in buying Google Chrome owner Alphabet were asked to divest it. The surprise offer came this week at an antitrust hearing into the monopoly that the widely used web browser enjoys in the technology industry. The US Department of Justice has been examining whether Google should be forced to divest Chrome.
Currently a court trial in Washington is looking at whether to fine Google over its breach of antitrust regulation. Fines could range into the billions of dollars. 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. 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 Department of Justice’s to make Google share search data was one way of addressing anti-competition concerns. Those concerns include agreements with Apple and Samsung to Google ‘s search engine installed and selected by default have its Google also faces claims that its search monopoly gives it an advantage in the AI market..
