A federal judge declined to force a breakup of Google’s Chrome browser, instead imposing limits on exclusive search contracts and ordering the company to share search data, following last year’s antitrust loss. In a 226-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said the rapid rise of generative AI—sparked by OpenAI’s ChatGPT—has altered the competitive landscape and influenced the scope of remedies. While the court reaffirmed Google’s dominance in search, it cited the intensity of AI competition and new entrants as reasons to avoid more severe structural relief. Google hailed the decision as reflecting industry change but raised privacy concerns over mandated data sharing. The Justice Department said the measures will pry open the search market and prevent Google from porting past tactics into GenAI. Shares of Google rose after the ruling.
Related articles:
— U.S. and Plaintiff States v. Google LLC (DOJ case page)
— United States v. Google LLC (Search) — docket and filings
— Antitrust: Commission opens investigation into Google’s advertising technology practices
