OpenAI Interested in Buying Google Chrome

OpenAI is considering a potential acquisition of Google’s Chrome browser to bolster its ChatGPT platform. The news comes at a time when the internet giant continues to face pressure from lawmakers about its alleged dominance in the online search market.

Nick Turley, head of product for ChatGPT, made the comments during the US Department of Justice’s high-profile antitrust trial against Google. The case, which centers on restoring competition in online search, follows a 2023 ruling that found Google held an illegal monopoly in online search and advertising. Last year, the DoJ called for Google to offload its Chrome browser as part of proposed remedies to restore competition in the search market. However, the company has not signaled any intent to sell the browser and intends to appeal the court’s monopoly ruling.

Yet, Turley, testifying as a government witness, stated OpenAI would consider purchasing Chrome if it became available, pointing to its potential value in boosting ChatGPT’s performance. He apparently revealed that OpenAI had previously made bids to Google to utilize its search technology within ChatGPT after encountering issues with its existing search provider. The AI-powered chatbot currently uses Microsoft’s Bing to power its search capabilities. An email from OpenAI to Google presented at the trial stated that integrating multiple partners, specifically Google’s search API, would enable them to provide a better product to users.

Court evidence showed that OpenAI first approached Google in July 2024, with the Alphabet-owned company denying the request a month later, citing concerns about empowering too many competitors. While Turley confirmed the company has no partnership with Google today, he stated that ChatGPT remains years away from its goal of handling 80% of queries using its own search technology. However, the DoJ’s proposed remedies include forcing Google to share search data with rivals, a move Turley said could accelerate improvements to ChatGPT’s responses.

Later in his testimony, Turley voiced concerns about OpenAI being excluded from key digital gateways controlled by larger tech firms and dominant players like Google. “We have powerful competitors who control the access points for how people discover products, including our product,” he said, pointing to browsers and app stores as critical choke points. Turley also pointed to distribution as a key challenge for OpenAI. While the company secured a deal to integrate ChatGPT into iPhones, he explained it has struggled to gain traction with Android smartphone manufacturers.