DOJ Revises Stance on Google, Focusing on Chrome Sale
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has altered its approach in the ongoing antitrust case against Google. According to a report by Reuters, the DOJ is no longer seeking to force Google to divest its investments in artificial intelligence (AI). However, the government continues to pursue a court order that would require Google to sell its Chrome browser.
“The American dream is about higher values than just cheap goods and ‘free’ online services. These values include freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom to innovate, and freedom to compete in a market undistorted by the controlling hand of a monopolist,” prosecutors wrote in court papers.
A Google spokesperson responded to the Reuters report, stating that the DOJ’s proposals “continue to go miles beyond the Court’s decision, and would harm America’s consumers, economy and national security.”
The legal battle began in 2020 when the DOJ and a coalition of state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against Google, alleging unlawful competitive practices used to maintain dominance in search and advertising. A judge sided with the prosecutors, and further evidence will be presented in April to determine how to proceed.
In related developments, Anthropic, the AI startup in which Google has invested $3 billion, asked the court to allow Google to retain its AI investments. Anthropic argued that forcing Google to terminate its relationship would harm both Anthropic and competition in the broader AI market.
Google Unveils “AI Mode” Search Capability
Adding to the Google/AI news, the company recently launched a new search feature called “AI mode.” Described as “AI Overviews on steroids,” this experimental offering is designed to provide more advanced reasoning and thinking capabilities. It also incorporates multimodal functionalities, enabling it to understand content beyond text and allowing for follow-up queries.
According to Robby Stein, Google’s vice president of product, “AI Mode is particularly helpful for questions that need further exploration, comparisons and reasoning.” He noted that the feature allows users to “ask nuanced questions that might have previously taken multiple searches — like exploring a new concept or comparing detailed options — and get a helpful AI-powered response with links to learn more.”
Google’s AI Overviews, introduced in the U.S. in May, provides AI-generated summaries of information from various sources alongside search results.
