In a stunning development that could reshape the tech landscape, OpenAI has publicly expressed interest in acquiring Google Chrome if the search giant is forced to divest the popular web browser. This revelation came during testimony in the ongoing remedies phase of Google’s antitrust trial, where the company faces potential breakup following a landmark monopoly ruling last year.
The Courtroom Revelation
Nick Turley, OpenAI’s head of product for ChatGPT, made the company’s intentions clear while testifying at the behest of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday. When asked directly by the judge if OpenAI would try to purchase Chrome should Google be forced to sell it, Turley responded with an unequivocal “Yes, we would, as would many other parties.”
The statement comes as the court considers potential remedies for Google’s illegal monopolization of online search and search advertising markets, as ruled by Judge Amit Mehta in August 2024. Among the DOJ’s proposed remedies is forcing Google to sell off Chrome, which currently dominates the global browser market with approximately 67% market share and 3.45 billion users worldwide.
“ChatGPT and Chrome combined would give [OpenAI] the chance to offer an ‘incredible experience’ that’s ‘AI-first,'” Turley testified, according to Bloomberg’s reporting.
Why Chrome Matters to OpenAI
Turley’s testimony revealed several strategic reasons why OpenAI covets Chrome:
Distribution Challenges
Getting ChatGPT onto more devices has proven challenging for OpenAI, particularly on Android devices. Turley claimed that Google has given preferential treatment to its own AI product, Gemini, making it difficult for ChatGPT to gain traction on the platform.
“We may be shut out by some of the bigger companies who control the access points for how people discover products, including our product,” Turley testified, expressing concern about the gatekeeping power of major tech companies.
The Search Connection
The testimony also revealed that OpenAI had previously approached Google about a potential partnership that would allow ChatGPT to use Google’s search technology. Despite these overtures, Google declined to partner with OpenAI, with Turley stating plainly, “we have no partnership with Google today.”
This rejection is particularly significant as OpenAI continues to develop its own search capabilities. While the company initially aimed to have ChatGPT use its proprietary search index for 80% of searches by the end of 2025, Turley admitted that reaching this milestone will now take years.
The Competitive Landscape
The courtroom revelations highlight the intensifying competition between traditional search giants and AI-powered newcomers. OpenAI currently has integration with Microsoft’s Bing search engine, but Turley testified that the company has experienced “significant quality issues” with a company referred to as “Provider No. 1” – widely interpreted to be Microsoft.
“We believe having multiple partners, and in particular Google’s API, would enable us to provide a better product to users,” OpenAI stated in an email shown during the trial.
Google’s Monopoly and Potential Breakup
The backdrop to OpenAI’s interest is the landmark ruling in August 2024, where Judge Mehta determined that Google had illegally monopolized online search and search advertising markets. In his 286-page opinion, the judge wrote that “Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly” through exclusive agreements.
Google is currently appealing parts of the ruling while the court considers appropriate remedies. The DOJ’s proposal to force Google to sell Chrome represents one of the most dramatic potential outcomes of the case.
If ordered, such a divestiture would mark a historic moment in American antitrust enforcement. As Bloomberg noted, “the last time a court ordered a breakup of a major U.S. company was AT&T in the 1980s.”
The Strategic Value of Chrome
Chrome’s dominant position in the browser market makes it an exceptionally valuable asset. With approximately two-thirds of global browser market share, it far outpaces competitors like Safari (18%), Microsoft Edge (5.2%), and Firefox (2.54%).
For OpenAI, acquiring Chrome would provide immediate access to billions of users and potentially solve the distribution challenges Turley described. It would also give the AI company direct control over a major access point to the internet, potentially allowing it to more seamlessly integrate its AI technologies into users’ daily browsing experiences.
Critics, however, might question whether transferring Chrome from Google to OpenAI would truly address the underlying competition concerns or simply shift the gatekeeping power to another tech giant. OpenAI, backed by a $13 billion investment from Microsoft, could potentially use Chrome to drive users directly to its own search product, ChatGPT Search.
OpenAI’s Browser Ambitions
This isn’t the first indication of OpenAI’s interest in the browser space. Reports emerged in November 2024 that the company had already been considering building its own browser, potentially based on Chromium, the open-source web browser project maintained by Google that serves as the foundation for Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and other browsers.
Acquiring Chrome would give OpenAI a massive head start compared to building a browser from scratch, instantly providing it with billions of users and a mature, market-leading product.
The Mobile Battleground
Turley’s testimony also shed light on the competitive dynamics in the mobile space. He claimed that OpenAI had attempted to secure pre-installation deals on Android devices but lost out to Google’s Gemini AI.
According to the DOJ, Google paid “an enormous sum of money in a fixed monthly payment” to Samsung to get Gemini pre-installed on the company’s devices. OpenAI apparently made a bid for similar access but was unsuccessful, with Turley stating this was “not a lack of trying.”
What Happens Next
The court is expected to decide by August 2025 what remedies to impose on Google. Options include forcing the sale of Chrome, requiring Google to license its search data to rivals, or other structural and behavioral remedies designed to restore competition to the search market.
Google continues to defend its business practices and is appealing parts of Judge Mehta’s ruling. The company maintains that its success is due to the quality of its products rather than anticompetitive behavior.
For OpenAI and other potential Chrome suitors, the waiting game continues. If the court does order Google to divest Chrome, it would trigger one of the most significant corporate sales in tech history, with far-reaching implications for online search, web browsing, and the future of AI integration into everyday digital experiences.
The Broader Implications
The potential sale of Chrome to OpenAI would represent a seismic shift in the tech industry, potentially accelerating the integration of AI into core internet experiences. It would also raise new questions about market concentration and competition in the rapidly evolving AI space.
As the remedies phase of the trial continues, all eyes will be on Judge Mehta and the potential reshaping of the digital landscape that his decision could trigger. Whatever the outcome, OpenAI’s public interest in Chrome signals that the company has ambitions far beyond its current AI offerings – ambitions that could fundamentally alter how billions of people experience the internet.
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