In an effort to protect consumers and developers, the DOJ’s proposed measures aim to reduce Google’s power to favor its own products. If the sale of Chrome proceeds, it could unlock new opportunities for competitors, potentially creating a more balanced online search market and encouraging innovation in AI.
The DOJ is also seeking to reshape how Google uses data, particularly in relation to its AI products. Google’s AI-driven search results, branded as “AI Overviews,” have drawn criticism from website publishers who argue that these summaries hurt their web traffic and ad revenue by providing answers directly on the search results page. To address this, the DOJ is proposing that Google be required to license its search data and allow websites more control over how their content is used in Google’s AI models.
Another key aspect of the DOJ’s recommendations includes pushing Google to make its search results more widely available to competitors. This could allow rival search engines and AI startups to improve their services using Google’s syndicated search data, which is currently restricted.
