The US government’s antitrust case against Google’s dominance in search has drawn intense international attention. Not since Microsoft stood trial in 1998 has Big Tech faced such pressure. A year after Judge Amit Mehta ruled Google a monopolist, he introduced remedies that some describe as weak while others argue they may still have impact.
Google keeps Chrome and Android intact
During the remedies phase, many anticipated a potential breakup. Judge Mehta rejected demands to spin off Chrome, the world’s most popular browser. The Justice Department also pushed for oversight of Android to stop it from bolstering Google’s search and advertising power. Both products survived untouched.
“These platforms built share, blocked rivals, and monetized dominance,” said John Kwoka, economics professor at Northeastern University. Regulators may seek tougher measures later this month in a separate case that targets Google’s advertising technology empire.
Artificial intelligence changes the legal fight
The Justice Department filed the lawsuit in 2020, before generative AI entered mainstream awareness. “GenAI reshaped this case,” Judge Mehta wrote, pointing to the huge flow of investment. Change has only accelerated since his ruling that Google monopolizes search.
Google remains a central AI player, often showing generated responses above regular results. Yet Judge Mehta argued that AI challengers possess the money and technology to mount a real threat. He admitted the difficulty of predicting the future of such a fast-changing market. “That is not a judge’s strength,” said Jennifer Huddleston, senior fellow at the Cato Institute. His caution defined the remedies he imposed.
A cautious outcome for Big Tech
Wall Street analysts largely viewed the decision as a win for the technology sector. Still, Judge Mehta ordered measures that may open doors for rivals. Google must share parts of its search index with “qualified competitors.” This index acts as a vast map of the web. Some rivals may even reuse Google’s results to buy time for innovation.
Google can continue paying Apple and Samsung for search placement on devices and browsers. But exclusive contracts are banned, giving partners more freedom to seek alternatives. “These remedies could still matter,” said Rebecca Hay Allensworth, an antitrust expert at Vanderbilt University. She argued that escaping a breakup does not make this ruling a full victory.
She stressed that Judge Mehta operated under limits set by the Microsoft case, where a higher court blocked a breakup order. “It was always going to be difficult for this judge to succeed where his colleague was stopped more than twenty years ago,” Allensworth said.
