DOJ pushes for Google to split Chrome amid AI and monopoly concerns

New Delhi: The US Department of Justice (DOJ) urged a federal judge on Monday to force Google to divest its Chrome browser, arguing that the tech giant’s stranglehold on online search could tighten further as artificial intelligence reshapes the internet. 

The plea came during a hearing before District Judge Amit Mehta, who ruled in August 2024 that Google maintained an illegal monopoly in online search, a landmark decision stemming from a 2020 antitrust lawsuit.

Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater emphasised the stakes, stating, “Nothing less than the future of the internet is at stake here. If Google’s conduct is not remedied, it will control much of the internet for the next decade, not just in search, but in new technologies like artificial intelligence.” 

The DOJ contends that Google’s integration of AI into its search engine, coupled with its dominance through Chrome and partnerships with companies like Apple and Samsung, could stifle competition and innovation.

The hearing follows a separate ruling earlier this month by District Court Judge Leonie Brinkema, who found Google wielded illegal monopoly power in online ad technology, a blow to the company’s revenue engine. 

The federal government and over a dozen US states accused Google of dominating digital advertising sectors—publisher ad servers, advertiser tools, and ad exchanges—leaving publishers with little choice but to rely on Google’s software. 

Brinkema’s ruling partially dismissed claims about advertiser tools but affirmed Google’s anticompetitive practices in ad servers and exchanges.

Google, owned by Alphabet Inc., has pushed back, calling the DOJ’s proposals “radical” and “overbroad.” Kent Walker, Google’s president of global affairs, argued in a blog post that forcing a Chrome spinoff or other divestitures, like its Android operating system, exceeds the scope of the court’s ruling and could harm consumers and US tech leadership. Google is appealing both the search and ad tech rulings, signalling a protracted legal battle.

The DOJ’s case highlights Google’s strategic moves to embed AI, such as its Gemini chatbot, into its ecosystem.