Google returned to court on Monday for hearings to decide whether the tech giant, found guilty of abusing its dominant market position, should be forced to separate from its Chrome browser amid the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), which threatens to disrupt online searching.
Last summer, Google was found guilty of engaging in illegal practices to establish and maintain a monopoly in online searching by Washington federal judge Amit Mehta, who is now once again hearing arguments from both sides before deciding the penalty.
US antitrust authorities are pushing for Google to part ways with Chrome, the world’s most widely used web browser, as it serves as a major gateway to its search engine, undermining potential competitors.
They are also urging the judge to ban Google from making agreements with Apple, Samsung, and other smartphone manufacturers to pre-install Google as the default option on their devices, demands the company deemed “radical” last November.
Gail Slater, appointed to the Justice Department under Donald Trump, argues that a breakup is necessary to foster innovation at a time of intense competition in the field of generative AI.
The company, headquartered in Mountain View, California, is increasingly integrating generative AI to provide direct responses to users within Google.
The US Justice Department aims to prevent Google from turning its current monopoly into another one, while OpenAI and other start-ups try to compete in AI-enhanced online searching.
Despite making a clear political departure from the Joe Biden government, Trump’s administration had echoed demands similar to those of its predecessor at the end of last year.
Regardless of the judge’s decision, Google is expected to appeal, potentially prolonging the case for years, with the possibility of it reaching the Supreme Court.
