OpenAI contemplating shopping for Google’s Chrome browser – ChatGPT Chief 

This was disclosed in Washington throughout Google’s ongoing antitrust trial, the place the Division of Justice (DOJ) seeks treatments to interrupt Google’s dominance in on-line search and promoting.

Nick Turley, Head of Product for ChatGPT at OpenAI, testified on Tuesday that the corporate would contemplate shopping for Chrome if Google is required to divest it.

That is a part of the DOJ’s broader effort to revive truthful competitors in on-line search and promoting.

Whereas Google has not provided Chrome on the market, the corporate has said plans to enchantment the ruling, which discovered it holds a monopoly in search and promoting.

Why OpenAI needs Chrome 

Turley revealed that OpenAI had tried to collaborate with Google when its current search supplier started to fall brief. He testified that OpenAI had reached out to Google in July 2023, requesting entry to its search API.

“We imagine having a number of companions, and particularly Google’s API, would allow us to supply a greater product to customers,” OpenAI instructed Google, in accordance with an e mail proven at trial.

Nonetheless, Google declined the request in August, stating that such a partnership would contain too many opponents.

“Now we have no partnership with Google right this moment,” Turley added in his testimony.

Turley additional said that if the DOJ’s proposal to make Google share its search knowledge is applied, it will considerably profit ChatGPT’s improvement.

He famous that search is a important a part of ChatGPT to supply solutions to consumer queries which can be updated and factual. He additionally admitted that ChatGPT remains to be years away from independently dealing with 80% of queries utilizing its personal search instruments.

AI and the search monopoly 

Prosecutors have raised considerations that Google’s search dominance may give it an unfair benefit in synthetic intelligence. They argued that its AI instruments may additional entrench its monopoly by directing customers again to its search engine.

• Google has countered by saying the trial isn’t about AI and has pointed to competitors from different main tech corporations resembling Meta and Microsoft.
• In Choose Mehta’s ruling final 12 months, he famous that Google had maintained its monopoly by locking in unique agreements with firms like Samsung to make Google Search the default on cellular gadgets.
• Paperwork offered in court docket revealed that Google as soon as thought-about related exclusivity preparations for not simply Search, but additionally its Gemini AI app and Chrome browser.

Nonetheless, as an alternative of pursuing these exclusivity agreements, Google has lately moved towards extra open preparations with producers resembling Samsung and Motorola, and with carriers like AT&T and Verizon. These offers now permit the inclusion of rival search apps.

The DOJ, nevertheless, needs stronger restrictions. The company is pushing for a ban on Google’s follow of paying companions to preinstall its search engine.