The United States continues to demand the sale of Chrome to Google, but will not divest its AI investments

The conflict between the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and Google regarding the case against the tech giant and its monopolistic business practices continues its course. The latest move has been made by the DOJ, which last Friday, March 7, published a new final judgment proposal maintaining pressure for Google to sell Chrome while easing on its stance regarding the company’s AI business.

Since August 5, 2024, when Judge Amit P. Mehta of the United States District Court concluded that «Google is a monopolist, and has acted to maintain its monopoly», we have witnessed the contest between the DOJ and the tech giant.

In November 2024, the DOJ published a final judgment proposal highlighting that «Google has illegally maintained its monopolies in general search services and search text advertising through a network of anticompetitive practices». This not only harms other market players but also the users.

The judgment also outlined a set of structural and behavioral measures including the requirement for Google to sell Chrome. «Google must sell Chrome immediately and entirely to a buyer approved by the Plaintiffs at their complete discretion, subject to terms approved by the Court and the Plaintiffs».

Google responded by presenting its own remedial proposals in December 2024. These were based on three pillars: browser agreements, Android contracts, and monitoring and compliance. Now, the DOJ has returned with a judgment proposal that eases its demands in some areas, but not regarding Chrome.

Google will not have to divest its AI investments

The goal of the United States Department of Justice is to restore competition in markets currently under Google’s monopolistic dominance. As emphasized in its new final judgment proposal: «Google is the gateway to the Internet», causing significant dependency from users towards this company.

«Google’s anticompetitive conduct has denied users a fundamental American value: the ability to choose in the marketplace. Through its vast size and unlimited power, Google has deprived consumers and businesses of a basic promise owed to the public: their right to choose among competing services», the DOJ explains.

The DOJ’s new proposal maintains the «core components» of its initial version (such as the sale of Chrome or the prohibition of search-related payments to its distribution partners) but has adjusted some critical points. Notably highlighting that Google is no longer required to divest its AI investments.

The main measures demanded by the DOJ in its latest proposal are as follows:

• Prohibition (with limited exceptions) of making search-related payments to Apple and distribution partners.
• Google must sell Chrome to promote competition.
• Google must share relevant data with other market players to offset the scale disadvantage caused by its monopolistic conduct.
• Requirement to notify in advance any investment in AI companies, search engines, or search advertising.
• Google may not use its ecosystem (such as Android, YouTube, or AI) to favor its search engine.
• Establishment of «choice screens» on devices to allow users to select their preferred search engine instead of defaulting to Google.
• Possibility to force Google to divest from Android, but only if other measures fail.

Judge Amit P. Mehta will hear the arguments from Google and the DOJ during the remedy hearing scheduled for next April.

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