OpenAI signals interest in buying Chrome if Google is forced to sell, aiming to create an AI-powered browsing experience.
In a twist that’s turned heads across Silicon Valley and Capitol Hill, OpenAI has thrown its hat into the ring as a potential buyer for Google Chrome — that is, if a judge orders Google to part ways with the world’s most-used web browser.
The revelation came straight from OpenAI’s head of product, Nick Turley, during a U.S. antitrust hearing on Tuesday. When asked whether the company would consider acquiring Chrome, Turley didn’t hesitate.
“Yes, we would, as would many other parties,” he told the court.
The courtroom moment may have sounded hypothetical, but it comes as the Justice Department weighs serious remedies against Google for what it says are years of monopolistic behavior. One potential remedy? Forcing the tech giant to break up parts of its business, including Chrome, which dominates the browser market with over 60% share.
Turley argued that putting Chrome in OpenAI’s hands could open the door to a new kind of browsing experience — one built from the ground up with artificial intelligence in mind.
“You could create a really incredible experience for users,” Turley said, describing the opportunity to bake tools like ChatGPT directly into the browser. “It would help people understand what an AI-first experience looks like.”
OpenAI’s ambitions don’t stop at browsers. The company previously tried to work with Google to integrate its search engine into ChatGPT, but according to Turley, Google turned them down. Instead, OpenAI has had to rely on Microsoft’s Bing — a relationship Turley characterized as less than ideal, citing quality issues with the search data.
That dependence on Bing hasn’t stopped OpenAI from thinking bigger. Turley emphasized the importance of having access to Google’s search data through APIs, describing it as essential for giving users a more complete and accurate experience.
While all this plays out, internal Google documents surfaced in court are raising fresh concerns. The company reportedly considered exclusive deals with Android phone makers — including Samsung — to lock in its Gemini AI app, Chrome browser, and search engine as defaults. Prosecutors say that’s part of a broader pattern of behavior designed to box out competitors before they can gain ground.
What happens next is still up in the air. Judge Amit Mehta has already ruled that Google’s search practices crossed the line. Now, he’s deciding what the consequences should be. And depending on the outcome, a future where Chrome isn’t owned by Google isn’t off the table.
If that day comes, OpenAI wants to be ready.
