As Google faces mounting pressure from US regulators in a landmark antitrust trial, some of the world’s biggest tech companies are preparing for a potential bidding war over one of the internet’s most valuable assets: the Chrome browser.
Who Wants Chrome?
Yahoo, OpenAI, and Perplexity have all publicly declared their interest in acquiring Chrome if a court forces Google to divest the browser as part of proposed remedies to break up its search monopoly. Yahoo Search’s general manager, Brian Provost, testified in Washington that the company is ready to bid for Chrome, calling it “arguably the most important strategic player on the web” and estimating its value in the tens of billions of dollars.
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is also eager. Nick Turley, OpenAI’s Head of Product, told the court that owning Chrome would allow OpenAI to build a truly “AI-first” browser experience, tightly integrated with ChatGPT and other AI tools. Perplexity, another AI search startup, has similarly expressed interest, highlighting just how central browser ownership has become in the race to control how users access information online.
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Why Is Chrome So Valuable?
Chrome is not just a browser-it’s the gateway to the web for over 3 billion users worldwide. Around 60% of all search queries come through browsers, often directly from the address bar. Whoever owns Chrome gains enormous influence over search traffic, user data, and the digital advertising ecosystem.
For companies like Yahoo, acquiring Chrome would be a shortcut to regaining relevance in the search market, especially as it continues to develop its own browser prototype. For AI companies such as OpenAI and Perplexity, it’s about embedding their technologies directly into the browsing experience, reducing dependence on Google and opening new avenues for innovation.
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What Happens Next?
The Department of Justice has proposed that Google sell Chrome to address its dominance in search, alongside other measures like ending certain partnerships and sharing proprietary data. No final decision has been made yet; a ruling is expected by mid-2025.
If Chrome does go up for sale, it could trigger one of the most significant shifts in the tech landscape in years, reshaping not only the browser market but also the future of search, AI, and online advertising.
Key Quotes:
“Chrome is arguably the most important strategic player on the web. We would be able to pursue it with Apollo [Global Management Inc.].”
- Brian Provost, Yahoo Search GM
“Owning Chrome could help OpenAI build a more AI-first browser experience, designed to work directly with tools like ChatGPT.”
- Nick Turley, OpenAI Head of Product
Stay tuned as this high-stakes battle for Chrome unfolds, with the outcome set to impact billions of internet users worldwide.