The US Department of Justice is accusing Google of trying to use artificial intelligence products, including Gemini, to further entrench its monopoly in the online search market, Reuters reports.
Regulators are demanding that Google sell Chrome to a third-party company and end exclusive deals with smartphone and other browser makers. For example, the company has struck a deal with Samsung to pre-install its Gemini app on the South Korean company's smartphones.
Attorney David Dahlquist believes that Google's monopoly on search is fueling its AI. He says the company's controlled search traffic helps train and improve its AI models, which then send users back to the search engine — creating a vicious cycle.
Google called the government's demands a "competitor's wish list" and said the proposed restrictions could hurt innovation in artificial intelligence.
“Our AI tools are beyond the scope of this case. But restricting their access to data and users would inhibit the development of critical technologies,” writes Google’s head of legal department, Leigh-Ann Mulholland.
The court has already found that Google’s agreements with device makers, including Apple, help maintain its monopoly. Now the government is seeking to do more — to end those contracts, open up the search market to competitors, and, if necessary, force Google to sell Android.
At the same time, Google argues that stopping payments to partners — such as Mozilla or smartphone manufacturers — could cause prices to rise and threaten the financial stability of companies that depend on these revenues.
It's one of the most high-profile antitrust cases of the decade, bringing together officials from both the Trump and Biden administrations. It focuses not only on Google's past actions but also on the potential future uses of artificial intelligence.