OpenAI may consider acquiring Google’s Chrome browser if antitrust regulators compel Alphabet to divest the product, an executive revealed Tuesday during Google’s antitrust trial in Washington, D.C.
Nick Turley, head of product for ChatGPT, made the disclosure while testifying in the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) case against Google. The DOJ is seeking major remedies to address what it says is Google’s monopoly in the online search and search advertising markets—a position the presiding judge has affirmed. Google has said it will appeal the ruling and has not suggested plans to sell Chrome.
Turley’s testimony offered new insight into the intensifying competition in the artificial intelligence sector, as technology companies race to develop and distribute generative AI tools. Prosecutors argue that Google’s dominance in search could give it an unfair advantage in AI by driving traffic back to its search engine through its AI products. Google counters that the AI market is competitive, citing rivals like Meta and Microsoft.
During questioning, Google’s legal team presented an internal OpenAI document in which Turley stated that ChatGPT led the consumer chatbot space and did not see Google as a primary competitor. Turley clarified that the statement was intended to motivate OpenAI staff and did not reflect the company’s broader strategic view. He also emphasized OpenAI’s continued interest in forming distribution partnerships.
Turley also testified that OpenAI had approached Google in July with a request to integrate Google’s search technology into ChatGPT after encountering issues with an unnamed existing search partner. OpenAI’s current search functionality is powered by Microsoft’s Bing. According to court documents, OpenAI argued in an email that access to Google’s API would help improve the quality of its product. Google declined the request in August, citing concerns over working with too many competitors.
“We have no partnership with Google today,” Turley confirmed in court.
He also voiced support for a DOJ proposal that would require Google to share search data with rivals, saying such a measure would accelerate improvements to ChatGPT. Turley noted that access to real-time, accurate search data is crucial for the AI system’s performance and that ChatGPT is still years away from independently answering the majority of user search queries.
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