In the ongoing US courtroom proceedings worthy of Silicon Valley lore, the AI generative startup OpenAI expressed its interest in buying the crown jewel of the Big Five, Google Chrome browser, if offered. During Google’s antitrust trial, ChatGPT chief Nick Turley expressed that acquiring Chrome would offer an incredible experience to OpenAI, meanwhile, it would also introduce users to what an AI-first browser looks like. A Bloomberg analyst has estimated the price of Google Chrome browser at $15 billion or more. 

Nick Turley was called by the Department of Justice (DoJ) to testify as part of a trial aimed at finding which business practices Google must modify to overcome its monopoly on the online search market. According to media reports, Truly testified that OpenAI had approached Google about integrating its search technology into ChatGPT artificial intelligence-powered digital assistant, but was rebuffed by the tech giant. 

Google Anitrust Case 

The trial of Google’s antitrust case began on Monday. The ongoing case focuses on Google’s agreements with partners such as Apple and Samsung to distribute its search tools. The tech giant is alleged to maintain its monopoly in the online browsing market, and in 2020, an antitrust case was filed against Google. US Judge Amit Mehta ruled against Google in August 2024, and the tech giant appealed. 

As the trial began on Monday, DOJ attorney David Dahlquist said in his opening statement 

“Now is the time to tell Google and all other monopolists who are out there listening, and they are listening, that there are consequences when you break the antitrust laws,”

In a rebuttal, Google’s president of Global Affairs, Kent Walker, wrote in a blog post 

“The DOJ chose to push a radical interventionist agenda that would harm Americans and America’s global technology leadership.” 

OpenAI has reportedly considered working on a web browser to compete with Chrome. The company went so far as to hire ex-Google developers Ben Goodger and Darin Fisher, who worked on the original Chrome project, several months ago.