OpenAI and Yahoo Battle to Buy Google’s Chrome as Antitrust Trial Heats Up

OpenAI and Yahoo are showing serious interest in acquiring Google’s Chrome browser if a federal judge orders Google to sell it as part of an antitrust crackdown.

During a pivotal trial this week, executives from both companies confirmed they would want to be considered potential buyers if Chrome hits the market. This trial, overseen by Judge Amit Mehta, could lead to major changes at Google after the court previously ruled that it had built an illegal monopoly in online search.

The U.S. Department of Justice is pushing for Google to sell off Chrome, and possibly even parts of its Android operations, to break up its dominance.

Yahoo Sees Chrome as a Key to Search Growth

Brian Provost, Yahoo Search’s general manager, testified that Yahoo would be ready to buy Chrome, even though the deal would cost tens of billions of dollars. Provost said Yahoo’s parent company, Apollo Global Management, would back the move financially.

Owning Chrome could dramatically improve Yahoo’s small share of the search market, Provost added. Right now, Yahoo holds about 3% of the search market. With Chrome, that figure could jump into double digits. Chrome currently commands around 66% of the global browser market, far ahead of Apple's Safari at 18% and Microsoft's Edge at 5%.

Calling Chrome "arguably the most important strategic player on the web," Provost also revealed that Yahoo has been working on developing its own prototype browser.

OpenAI Sees Chrome as a Game-Changer for AI Search

OpenAI is also eyeing Chrome to strengthen its search platform powered by ChatGPT. Nick Turley, head of product for OpenAI’s AI search team, said acquiring Chrome would massively expand ChatGPT’s reach and improve its performance. Currently, OpenAI’s search technology relies heavily on Microsoft’s Bing, with Microsoft being its largest investor.

Dmitry Shevelenko, chief business officer at AI startup Perplexity AI, echoed the sentiment. He said Perplexity could also operate Chrome effectively and leverage it to grow its business. However, he raised concerns about the future of Chromium — the open-source platform that underpins Chrome — if a new buyer were to close it off. Many browsers, including Microsoft Edge, depend on Chromium’s open technology to function and innovate.

Google Pushes Back Against Forced Sale

Google is fighting hard against the idea of being forced to sell Chrome. A company spokesperson warned that selling Chrome could harm smaller browser companies that rely on Chromium and weaken security and privacy protections for millions of users worldwide.

The antitrust trial is expected to wrap up by May 9, with Judge Mehta likely issuing a final decision by August. The case’s outcome could reshape not only Google’s future, but the entire internet landscape.

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