Google’s CEO to testify against the DOJ in landmark antitrust trial

Google CEO Sundar Pichai is expected to take the stand on Wednesday morning at a trial in Washington where antitrust enforcers seek an order forcing the company to sell its Chrome web browser and take other measures to boost competition among online search providers.

Pichai will testify in the Alphabet unit’s defense against proposals by the U.S. Department of Justice that the company has said would cause unintended harm to browser developers, smartphone makers and internet users.

The outcome of the case could fundamentally reshape the internet by potentially unseating Google as the go-to portal for information online.

The DOJ and a broad coalition of state attorneys general are pressing for remedies to restore competition even as search evolves to overlap with generative AI products such as ChatGPT. Prosecutors are concerned that Google’s dominance in search could extend to AI.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled last year that Google, the site and app where most U.S. internet users search for information, “has no true competitor.” Google maintained its monopoly in part by paying billions of dollars to companies including Apple, Samsung, AT&T and Verizon to be the default search engine on new mobile devices, the judge said.

The DOJ wants the judge to end those payments and require Google to share search data with competitors.

Google has said the proposals would give away its hard work, and jeopardize its users’ privacy and endanger smaller companies like Mozilla, the developer of the Firefox browser, that rely on Google for revenue.

The company recently loosened its agreements to allow device makers and carriers to pre-install other search and AI apps, according to evidence shown at trial. Google has said it plans to appeal once the judge makes a final ruling.

—Jody Godoy, Reuters

https://www.fastcompany.com/91325785/googles-ceo-testify-against-doj-landmark-antitrust-trial?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss

Erstellt 4mo | 30.04.2025, 13:50:02


Melden Sie sich an, um einen Kommentar hinzuzufügen

Andere Beiträge in dieser Gruppe

How AI will radically change military command structures

Despite two centuries of evolution, the structure of a modern military staff would be recognizable to Napoleon. At the same time, m

20.08.2025, 17:20:02 | Fast company - tech
This startup knows what AI is saying about your brand

Internet users are increasingly turning to AI tools like ChatGPT, rath

20.08.2025, 14:50:08 | Fast company - tech
OpenAI gave GPT-5 an emotional lobotomy, and it crippled the model

It’s rare for a tech titan to show any weakness or humanity. Yet even OpenAI’s notoriously understated CEO Sam Altman had to admit this week that the rollout of the company’s

20.08.2025, 14:50:06 | Fast company - tech
An engineer explains how AI can prevent satellite disasters in space

With satellite mega-constellations like SpaceX’s Starlink deploying thousands of spacecraft, monitoring their health has become an enormous challenge. Traditional methods can’t easily scale

20.08.2025, 12:30:15 | Fast company - tech
Landline phones are back—and they’re helping kids connect safely with friends

In today’s world, communication is largely done through one of two methods: smartphones or social media. Young children, however, rarely have access to either—and experts say they shouldn’t have a

20.08.2025, 12:30:12 | Fast company - tech