OpenAI Wants to Buy Google Chrome if Regulators Force a Sale

✦ OpenAI is interested in buying Google Chrome if regulators require Google to divest it following the DOJ’s antitrust case;

✦ The idea was shared by OpenAI’s Head of Product, Nick Turley, during court testimony;

✦ OpenAI wants better control over search quality, criticizing Bing’s results and stating that collaboration with Google was declined;

✦ Acquiring Chrome would let OpenAI embed ChatGPT directly into the browsing experience, creating a smarter, AI-powered interface;

✦ This move could redefine how users search and navigate the web, with ChatGPT acting as a real-time assistant;

✦ It raises regulatory and ethical concerns, as transferring Chrome to OpenAI could concentrate power in a different AI-dominated ecosystem;

✦ The news reflects OpenAI’s ambition to become a major force in shaping the AI-first internet.

In a surprising development from the U.S. Department of Justice’s ongoing antitrust trial against Google, OpenAI has revealed that it would consider acquiring Google Chrome if the browser were ever forced to be sold. This statement, made during court testimony, sheds light on OpenAI’s broader ambitions to expand beyond AI chatbots and into the heart of the web browsing and search experience.

The Testimony That Started It All

The disclosure came from Nick Turley, Head of Product at OpenAI, during a court session in which the DOJ is arguing that Google’s dominance in search is harmful to competition. When asked about possible remedies to reduce Google’s influence, Turley openly stated that OpenAI would be interested in purchasing Chrome if Google were required to divest it as part of a regulatory decision.

This bold idea isn’t just about owning a browser. It represents a strategic move to control more of the digital ecosystem through which users access and search for information.

Why OpenAI Is Interested in Chrome

At the core of OpenAI’s interest lies a simple motivation: search quality and access to web content. While ChatGPT already has search capabilities powered by Microsoft’s Bing, Turley admitted that the results from Bing are “noticeably worse” than what Google provides. Efforts to collaborate with Google for improved search access were rejected, pushing OpenAI to explore alternatives.

One of those alternatives is building its own search index, but that process has been slow and technically challenging. Acquiring a mature and widely used browser like Chrome could give OpenAI:

• Direct control over how users interact with the web;

• Improved data signals for search training and customization;

• A powerful platform to integrate ChatGPT natively into browsing.

In essence, Chrome could become a launchpad for a new kind of AI-enhanced web experience.

What Would Change If OpenAI Owned Chrome?

If the acquisition were to happen, it could mark a fundamental shift in how browsers and AI coexist:

• ChatGPT could be integrated directly into the browser interface, offering real-time answers, content summarization, and interactive guidance;

• Search results could be curated and personalized through AI, moving away from the traditional list of blue links;

• Chrome could evolve into a fully AI-assisted browsing assistant, guiding users through websites, forms, and research with conversational ease.

This would potentially redefine what a browser is—from a passive tool for accessing information to an intelligent assistant that actively helps users navigate and understand the web.

Regulatory and Competitive Implications

The notion of OpenAI acquiring Chrome is still hypothetical. Google has not been ordered to sell Chrome, and such a move would be unprecedented. Chrome is the most popular browser globally, with a market share of over 60%, and is deeply integrated with Google Search and other services.

However, regulators are exploring structural remedies if Google is found to have violated antitrust laws. In that scenario, divesting Chrome—once unthinkable—could become a real option. And if that happens, OpenAI is ready to step in.

The idea also raises new antitrust questions. Would giving Chrome to OpenAI create another concentration of power? Would users and developers trust a browser owned by the creator of ChatGPT? These are complex questions that regulators, technologists, and the public would have to consider.

OpenAI’s Broader Vision

This move fits into a larger vision from OpenAI: not just to be a chatbot or API provider, but to be a central intelligence layer across platforms and devices. Whether through integrating with productivity tools, powering voice assistants, or building search alternatives, OpenAI is positioning itself as a key infrastructure player for the AI-first internet.

Owning a browser would take that vision one step further—bringing it directly into users' daily web interactions.

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In conclusion, while OpenAI’s interest in Chrome is currently speculative, it’s a clear sign of where the company is heading. If the web is the world’s largest source of knowledge, OpenAI wants to be more than a visitor—it wants to hold the keys to the browser.

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