There are two compelling reasons for the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DoJ’s) Antitrust Division to end its assault on Google, both of which are accelerating in importance.
First, the DoJ’s actions are at direct odds with the Trump administration’s fervent push to ensure that America remains the world’s leading AI provider. Indeed, if DoJ got what it wants from Google it would hobble, if not derail, that fundamental goal.
Second, while DoJ, through litigation undertaken primarily during the Biden administration won court cases against Google pertaining to Internet search and advertising, both matters are going to be appealed, continuing a years’ long process. The glow of recent victories will soon be gone and forgotten.
DoJ should look to settle these cases with modest remedies. Instead, it is seeking to break up Google by forcing the sale of its Chrome browser, which risks causing operational chaos to the Internet. It will also sidetrack the company from making extensive AI investments which are in the national interest. Cybersecurity risks would also rise dramatically.
Simply put, no one in America has suffered from a lack of competition in Internet search. Consumers have always been free to use other browsers. Google has also driven massive innovation in search, including search by pictures and AI. It regularly announces new initiatives during its quarterly earnings conference calls.
With respect to Google advertising, it is just one of many tech platforms where ads appear. And traditional modes of advertising remain substantial.
In recent weeks, President Trump has made clear he is a big fan of Google.
During a July 23 speech where he signed three executive orders to promote AI, the President said, “In a few months, Meta, Amazon, Google, Microsoft are all investing $320 billion or more in data centers and AI infrastructure. This year, those companies are really, they’re really going at it. And they’re very smart people, very good people.”
The President added, “The people of OpenAI, Google, Meta, and countless startups are proving once again that America is impossible…impossible to beat.”
A week earlier, on July 15, the President announced $92 billion in AI investments just for the state of Pennsylvania. He lauded Google, whose President and Chief Information Officer, Ruth Porat, was seated on the dais one person away from him in a packed room of 60 CEOs and other dignitaries.
Ms. Porat announced that Google was investing more than $25 billion in Pennsylvania and 12 other nearby states. Another $3 billion is being invested to modernize two hydropower facilities in Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County.
In addition, Ms. Porat said, “Google will be offering free AI training to all small businesses in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.” It is also forming partnerships with the state’s leading employers, universities, and manufacturers to teach them AI skills.
In May, Ms. Porat and Google also had an important role working with the administration to help it secure a $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia to invest in AI and related infrastructure in the United States. Google is part of an AI hub that Ms. Porat said, “will accelerate the application of AI to deliver innovation, economic growth and societal benefits to Saudi Arabia.”
The pace of American technology over the past few years has been accelerating and thriving, as seen by our worldwide leadership in AI and how Internet search of a few years ago, the subject of litigation, is just a pittance compared to what it is now.
Settling the Google lawsuits, in addition to getting the DoJ in sync with the rest of the administration, ensures one of America’s biggest investors in AI will continue to make these investments which are in America’s interest.
Persisting with the outdated legal actions will not only deter Google from investing, but cause other companies to become overly cautious and hesitant. That would be directly at odds with the aims of the administration’s recently announced AI action plan and other tech initiatives.
Indeed, it is time for DoJ to declare victory, and move on.
