The trial that can force Google to sell Chrome has begun and, there is something clear in advance, it is not lacking suitors to the most used web browser in the world, especially in the field of artificial intelligence: if Openai has been the most prominent part in this sense, it is not the only one: Perplexity is also by Chromeif the opportunity is presented.
The trial, initiated this week in Washington, could culminate with the legal obligation that Google gets rid of its star application, a possibility that the US Department of Justice contemplates as a “effective” solution to dismantle the network of agreements and competitive advantages that, according to the accusation, have consolidated Google monopoly in online searches. The Chrome user base, made up of about 4,000 million people, is the key fact.
With this panorama, Openai hasn’t taken to raise his hand. Its product manager, Nick Turley, openly declared that the company is willing to acquire Chrome if it is sold. The objective, the obvious: integrate chatgpt at the native level in the browser and build an AI -centered experience from the first click. An ambitious proposal, but has awakened misgivings for the future of Chromium, the open source project that serves as a base not only to Chrome, but also to other browsers such as Edge or Opera.
Precisely that is one of the concerns shared by Perplexity, the startup of the which, despite its youth, is already projected as a competitor in this race. Dmitry Shevelenko, its business director, appeared as a witness at the trial and did not miss the opportunity to present an alternative proposal: if Google has to sell Chrome, they are also interested. He assured that Perplexity could manage the browser without sacrificing its quality or imposing costs to userswhile keeping Chromium’s open spirit alive.
Shevelenko, however, was less enthusiastic about the idea of chopping Google. From their point of view, the most important thing is to break the distribution agreements that prevent companies such as their position in equal conditions. During his testimony he denounced the barriers that Google imposes on telephone and browse manufacturers to pre -install alternatives to his search engine or assistant. Even when a company has wanted to collaborate with Perplexity, it has collided with the limits of its contracts with Google, he says.
This background reinforces the doj’s vision of the need to intervene, even with drastic measures. At the same time, it connects with another recent chapter: Google’s decision not to finally eliminate third -party cookies in Chrome, A reverse that shows regulatory pressure to which the Internet giant is subjected. The initiative, encompassed in its Privacy Sandbox, sought to modernize online advertising, but has been criticized for damaging advertisers and not sufficiently protecting privacy. In the end, Google has chosen to maintain the current system.
The trial against Google is expected to end in May, with a verdict that could be known in August. Meanwhile, the list of interested in Chrome grows. It is no accident. In full transition to the website dominated by artificial intelligence, controlling the browser is to have the access key to billions of users.
To all this, it should be remembered that The Linux Foundation moved a file with respect to Chromium recently with the launch of Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers, an initiative that “aims to finance open development and improve projects within the Chromium ecosystem, guaranteeing broad support and sustainability for contributions that promote its technological advancement.” It did not translate into anything concrete, because Google was still commanded, but there it is. As Microsoft, Samsung, Opera and other companies that make Chromium use to develop their browsers are also.
