In what could be a landmark decision for the tech industry, Google is facing its final antitrust trial showdown as the U.S. government advocates for significant remedies to curb the tech giant’s alleged monopolistic practices in the online search market. Following a ruling last year that found Google illegally maintained its dominance, the Justice Department (DOJ) is now urging the court to impose sweeping changes to foster competition.
Closing arguments in the remedies phase of the trial concluded on Friday, May 30, 2025, leaving U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta to decide how to address Google’s established monopoly. The DOJ has proposed aggressive measures, including potentially forcing Google to sell its widely used Chrome browser and mandating the licensing of some of its core search technology to competitors.
The DOJ’s initial case, filed in 2020, centered on Google’s agreements with device manufacturers like Apple and Samsung, which made Google the default search engine on their devices. The government argued that these deals unfairly stifled competition. While Google has agreed to roll back some of these agreements, the DOJ’s proposed remedies aim to go much further.
One of the most significant remedies sought by the DOJ is the forced sale of Google’s Chrome browser. The government contends that Google’s control over Chrome, the world’s most popular browser, provides an unfair advantage by driving traffic and revenue to its search engine. Selling Chrome, the DOJ argues, would help level the playing field for rivals.
The antitrust scrutiny has also extended to the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The DOJ is seeking to prevent Google from establishing similar exclusive distribution agreements for its AI programs and apps, such as its Gemini chatbot. The government argues that Google could leverage its AI products to further solidify its search monopoly and utilize data from its vast search index to dominate the AI landscape. To address this, the DOJ has proposed making Google share its search index and user search data with AI developers who wish to license it, aiming to promote fairer competition in the burgeoning AI sector.
Google has vehemently opposed the DOJ’s proposed remedies, labeling them as “unprecedented” and asserting that they would harm consumers, the economy, and technological innovation. The company argues that forcing it to share sensitive user search data would jeopardize privacy and security.
Judge Mehta is expected to issue his decision on the remedies in August, concluding what has been described as the biggest tech antitrust case in 25 years. Regardless of the ruling, it is anticipated that Google will file an appeal against the initial finding of monopolization.
Key Highlights:
- The US government is pushing for significant remedies against Google after a court found the company held an illegal monopoly in the search engine market.
- Proposed remedies include forcing Google to sell its Chrome browser and license some of its search technology.
- The DOJ also aims to prevent Google from monopolizing the AI space and wants the company to share search data with AI developers.
- Google argues the proposed remedies are too severe and would harm consumers and innovation.