Google Exclusively Operates Chrome, Says Browser Chief
Google’s Chrome browser, a dominant player in the web browsing market, is at the center of a significant antitrust case being heard in Washington federal court. Parisa Tabriz, the browser’s general manager, testified that the unique features of Chrome are deeply intertwined with Google’s broader infrastructure, making it nearly impossible to separate the browser from the company’s other services. This testimony comes as the Justice Department seeks to impose major changes on Google, including the potential sale of Chrome and restrictions on its business practices.
Chrome’s Unique Position
During her testimony, Tabriz emphasized that Chrome’s development over the past 17 years has been a collaborative effort within Google. She stated that the browser’s features, such as safe browsing and password compromise notifications, rely on shared resources across the company. Tabriz argued that attempting to disentangle Chrome from Google’s ecosystem would be unprecedented and could jeopardize the browser’s functionality. She expressed skepticism about whether another company could replicate Chrome’s capabilities without the same level of integration with Google’s services.
The Justice Department’s case against Google stems from a previous ruling by Judge Amit Mehta, who found that the company had illegally monopolized the search market. As part of the ongoing hearings, the government has proposed that Google be required to divest its Chrome browser and share data used to generate search results. Additionally, they are seeking to prohibit Google from paying for default search engine placements, a practice they argue has contributed to the company’s monopolistic behavior.
Technical Feasibility of Divestiture
James Mickens, a computer science expert for the Justice Department, testified that transferring ownership of Chrome to another company could be technically feasible without significantly disrupting its functionality. Mickens, who has previously worked on antitrust cases involving Google, noted that even if Chrome were divested, Google would still have incentives to contribute to the open-source Chromium project, which underpins both Chrome and other browsers.
Despite Mickens’ assertions, Tabriz countered that Google has been the primary contributor to Chromium, providing over 90 percent of its code since 2015. She highlighted the substantial investment Google has made in the project, estimating that around 1,000 engineers are involved in its development. Tabriz expressed concern that without Google’s leadership, the contributions from other companies to Chromium would not be significant.
Integrating Artificial Intelligence
Tabriz also discussed Google’s efforts to incorporate artificial intelligence into the Chrome browser. Users can now utilize extensions for AI tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Perplexity AI, and Chrome is set to prioritize Google’s own AI assistant, Gemini. Tabriz noted that many browsers are exploring AI features, with Microsoft integrating its AI Copilot into Bing and Edge.
Internal documents from Google reveal plans to evolve Chrome into an “agentic browser,” which would leverage AI to automate tasks such as form filling and online shopping. Tabriz shared her vision for a future where Chrome integrates multiple AI agents, with Gemini serving as the primary assistant. This ambitious goal reflects Google’s commitment to enhancing user experience through advanced technology.
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