Overview

• The Justice Department and a coalition of states proposed splitting off Chrome, mandating search data sharing and banning multibillion-dollar default-search payments to Apple and other device makers.
• Final arguments concluded May 30 in Washington with Judge Amit Mehta overseeing a trial that stems from last year’s illegal-monopoly finding against Google.
• Google asserted that divesting its browser and handing over proprietary data would exceed the court’s authority and harm consumer innovation by favoring rivals.
• Alphabet has already loosened default-search agreements with smartphone manufacturers, including Samsung, to allow rival search and AI applications on new devices.
• AI companies such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT team testified interest in acquiring Chrome or accessing Google’s data to accelerate AI-driven search alternatives if remedies are imposed.