Google May Lose Chrome, And OpenAI’s First in Line to Grab It

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, says it’s ready to buy Google Chrome if a U.S. court forces Google to sell it.

That surprising statement came from OpenAI’s Head of Product, Nick Turley, during testimony in a major antitrust trial in Washington D.C. The U.S. Department of Justice has already ruled that Google holds illegal monopolies in both search and digital advertising.

Now the court is deciding what the remedy should be, and selling Chrome is one option on the table.

“Yes, we would,” Turley said, when asked if OpenAI would buy Chrome.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Chrome isn’t just another app. It’s the world’s most popular browser, used by 64% of internet users globally. Safari comes in second with just 21%.

If Google is forced to let it go, Chrome could change hands. OpenAI is clearly interested. That would put the browser in the hands of a company that’s quickly becoming one of the most powerful players in tech.

What OpenAI Could Gain with Chrome

Owning Chrome would give OpenAI:

• A direct connection to billions of users
• A powerful new way to integrate ChatGPT and other AI tools into daily browsing
• Massive amounts of data to help train its models

It would also turn OpenAI into a serious competitor to Google, Apple, and even Microsoft, which is currently a close partner of OpenAI and the maker of Bing and Edge.

Turley revealed that OpenAI had previously approached Google about a potential partnership to let ChatGPT use Google’s search data. That offer was rejected.

So far, ChatGPT pulls search info from Bing. But OpenAI says they’ve had “quality issues” with that data and are clearly looking for alternatives.

What lies ahead

The trial is still underway, with more testimony expected in the coming weeks. If the court decides Google must sell Chrome, OpenAI isn’t the only potential buyer, but it might be the most motivated.

OpenAI is also exploring building its own social network, according to recent reports. That, combined with a possible Chrome acquisition, suggests the company is thinking far beyond chatbots.

Google’s dominance is being challenged in court. If the judge rules Chrome has to go, OpenAI could end up owning one of the most valuable gateways to the internet.

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