Google faces off US in court over search monopoly case

Google returned to US federal court on Friday to defend itself against a landmark antitrust case brought by the Department of Justice (DOJ), amid a pivotal moment in technology as artificial intelligence threatens to upend its long-standing dominance.

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The proceedings mark the final stages of a legal battle that could reshape the internet’s landscape. At stake is the future of Google’s search engine, already declared an illegal monopoly by US District Judge Amit Mehta last year. Now, closing arguments will determine what remedies will be imposed on the tech giant - potentially altering its business model and market reach.

The DOJ is calling for sweeping changes, including a ban on Google paying to be the default search engine on smartphones and other devices, and an unprecedented order requiring Google to divest its Chrome browser. This, the government argues, would prevent the company from leveraging its dominance in search and browser data to maintain control in the emerging AI-powered search era.

Google, in contrast, argues for minimal changes. Its lawyers claim the market is already shifting dramatically due to AI innovation, which is transforming how people access information. Startups like OpenAI and Perplexity are developing conversational search tools that could, over time, erode Google’s search dominance.