OpenAI Eyes Google Chrome Acquisition Amid Antitrust Trial

OpenAI Ready to Acquire Google Chrome if Forced to Sell

OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has declared its readiness to purchase Google Chrome should a U.S. court mandate Google to divest the popular web browser. This statement came from Nick Turley, OpenAI's Head of Product, during testimony at a significant antitrust trial in Washington D.C. The U.S. Department of Justice has already found Google guilty of holding illegal monopolies in both search and digital advertising markets.

The Importance of Google Chrome

Chrome is the world's most widely used browser, with 64% of global internet users relying on it. Safari follows with only 21% market share. If Google is compelled to sell Chrome, ownership could shift to another tech giant like OpenAI, which is rapidly expanding its influence in the technology sector.

Potential Benefits for OpenAI

Acquiring Chrome would provide OpenAI with:

Direct access to billions of users worldwide
A powerful platform to embed ChatGPT and other AI tools into everyday browsing experiences
Access to extensive data to enhance and train its AI models This acquisition would position OpenAI as a formidable competitor against established players such as Google, Apple, and Microsoft—the latter being a close partner of OpenAI and developer of Bing and Edge browsers.

Previous Partnership Attempts and Current Challenges

Turley revealed that OpenAI had approached Google to discuss a partnership allowing ChatGPT to utilize Google's search data, but the proposal was declined. Currently, ChatGPT sources search data from Bing, but OpenAI has noted "quality issues" with this data and is actively seeking alternatives.

What Lies Ahead in the Trial

The antitrust trial is ongoing, with further testimonies expected in the coming weeks. If the court orders Google to sell Chrome, OpenAI is one of several potential buyers but appears to be the most eager. Additionally, reports indicate that OpenAI is exploring the development of its own social network, hinting at ambitions beyond chatbot technology.