New Google Antitrust Trial: What’s Next for Search and AI?

Google’s battle with U.S. regulators is heating up. In August 2024, a federal judge ruled that Google illegally monopolizes online search. Now, a remedies trial in Washington, D.C., wrapped up in late May 2025. The big question: How do we fix Google’s dominance without breaking the internet?

Why This Case Matters

Monopoly Ruling: In August 2024, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta found that Google’s grip on general search and text ads violates antitrust laws.
Huge Stakes: Google controls nearly 90% of domestic search. Its $26 billion-a-year deal with Apple makes Google Safari’s default engine, locking out rivals.
AI on the Rise: As tools like ChatGPT and other generative AI chatbots gain traction, regulators worry that Google could extend its search monopoly into AI.

Key Moments from the Remedies Trial

Opening Arguments (April–May 2025)
- The Department of Justice (DOJ) argued that, without new rules, Google will use its search data and deep pockets to crush AI-powered rivals before they can compete.
- Google called the DOJ’s ideas “overreach,” saying forced data sharing and breaking up Chrome or Android would slow innovation and even risk user privacy.
CEO Testimonies
- Sundar Pichai (Google CEO)
  - Warned that selling Chrome or canceling default deals with Apple would weaken U.S. tech leadership.
  - Said AI rivals already exist—like OpenAI’s ChatGPT—so drastic remedies aren’t needed.
- Satya Nadella (Microsoft CEO)
  - Claimed Google’s Apple deal unfairly sidelined Bing and other competitors.
  - Urged limits on exclusive default-search payments so AI-based search tools can flourish.
Judge’s Questions
- Judge Mehta pushed both sides on AI’s role. He wondered: “If AI becomes the new gateway to search, will forcing Google to share data even help?”
- He hinted that “softer” fixes—like capping default-search payments or requiring limited data sharing—might work better than a full breakup.

Possible Remedies on the Table

Behavioral Remedies (lighter fixes)
- Limit Payments to Apple: Stop Google from paying billions each year to stay Safari’s default.
- Data-Sharing Mandates: Require Google to share search-query and click data with qualified AI and search competitors—under strict privacy rules.
Structural Remedies (big changes)
- Sell Chrome: Force Google to spin off its browser so one company doesn’t control both browsing and search.
- Break Default-Search Deals: Bar Google from renewing default agreements unless a court approves.
- Sever Android Ties: In a worst-case scenario, break Google’s exclusive Android placements to lower its mobile reach.

Google argues these measures would fracture its platform and hurt innovation. DOJ counters that without strong action, Google’s power over search and AI will only grow.

How AI Is Changing the Game

Search vs. Chat: For decades, you typed keywords into a box and clicked a blue link. Now, AI chatbots pull answers from the web and present them conversationally.
Data Is Gold: AI needs real-world search patterns (what you type and click) to train its models. If Google hoards that data, new AI search tools can’t learn as fast.
Shifting User Habits: Apple executives noted that Safari search volumes dipped for the first time in 20 years, thanks to ChatGPT and other bots. That drop shaved roughly $250 billion off Alphabet’s market value.

What This Means for You

New Search Options: If courts force Google to open up, expect more AI-powered search portals. You might see easy voice or chat interfaces instead of endless blue links.
More Choice on Your Phone: Instead of Safari auto-choosing Google, you could pick Bing, DuckDuckGo, ChatGPT, or any other AI search tool when you set up a new iPhone or Android.
Ad Prices and Privacy: A more fragmented ad market could lower costs for small businesses. But if data-sharing rules aren’t tight, there’s a risk of broader tracking—so watch how your data is handled.

What Happens Next?

August 2025: Judge Mehta is expected to rule on remedies.
Appeals: Whoever loses can appeal to the D.C. Circuit. A final fix might not land until late 2025 or even 2026.
Industry Shake-Up: If Google must break up core pieces, think back to the 1998 Microsoft case that unleashed the browser wars. We could be on the verge of a similar shake-up for search and AI.

3 FAQs

1. What did Judge Mehta find Google did wrong?
He ruled in August 2024 that Google illegally kept its search monopoly by striking exclusionary deals—especially the $26 billion-a-year agreement that made Google the default on Apple’s Safari browser, along with other default placements on Android devices. These deals shut out rivals and kept advertisers locked into Google’s ad network.

2. What remedies is the DOJ pushing for?
The DOJ wants Google to:

Sell Chrome so browsers and search aren’t tied together.
End or limit default-search payments (no more automatic renewals of the Apple deal).
Share key search data—like anonymized query logs and click rates—for at least ten years with qualified AI and search competitors.
If Google resists, the DOJ may push to force a split of Android or other major assets.

3. How will this affect my everyday searches?
In the short term, nothing changes. Longer term, you may see AI chatbots directly answer your questions instead of a list of links. On mobile, you’ll likely be prompted to pick your favorite search engine or AI assistant rather than having Google pre-selected. And advertisers might face lower ad costs as more competition heats up.