OpenAI wants to buy Google's Chrome and turn it into 'AI-first experience' for users
OpenAI has signalled its intention to buy Google’s Chrome web browser and turn it into an “AI-first experience” for users. In a court hearing, OpenAI’s ChatGPT chief mentioned that his company would be interested in bidding for Chrome if the US Department of Justice forces Google to sell the browser.
The Potential Acquisition
Google faces allegations of having a monopoly in online search, which may lead to a scenario where Chrome has to be spun out as part of an antitrust ruling. Nick Turley, ChatGPT’s head of product, expressed that the integration of ChatGPT into Chrome could offer users a remarkable experience. He mentioned that OpenAI has the potential to introduce users to what an AI-first experience entails.
The Legal Proceedings
Mr. Turley testified in a three-week remedy hearing in Washington aimed at determining the appropriate penalties for Google's illegal monopoly in search. In a significant decision made by US District Judge Amit Mehta in 2024, Google was found to have engaged in anti-competitive practices to establish Chrome as the primary gateway to the web on various devices.
Market Impact
With an estimated 3.5 billion people globally using Chrome as their primary browser according to StatCounter, Google's browser market share in the US was at 53 per cent in March 2025, down from 57 per cent the previous year. If the current hearing results in a court order for Google to divest its popular web browser, it would mark the first instance since the 1980s that a major US company is mandated to split its business.
Google has expressed its intention to appeal the 2024 ruling on monopolistic practices, awaiting the outcome of the ongoing remedy hearing expected to conclude in May.
