The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday abandoned its proposal that would have forced Alphabet’s Google to divest its investments in artificial intelligence companies, including rival Anthropic, as part of its broader antitrust case aimed at curbing Google’s alleged illegal search monopoly.
The decision comes amid ongoing litigation and regulatory actions targeting Big Tech.
The proposal, initially drafted in November, would have required Google to sell its stakes in AI ventures in an effort to boost competition in online search. Instead, the DOJ and a coalition of 38 state attorneys general are now focusing on securing a court order that would compel Google to divest its Chrome browser and implement additional measures designed to address anticompetitive practices. In court papers filed in Washington, prosecutors argued, “The American dream is about higher values than just cheap goods and 'free' online services. These values include freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom to innovate, and freedom to compete in a market undistorted by the controlling hand of a monopolist.”
A Google spokesperson countered that the sweeping proposals “continue to go miles beyond the Court's decision” and would harm American consumers, the economy, and national security. The company also announced that it intends to appeal the decision. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Anthropic did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The DOJ’s shift in focus follows evidence obtained since the draft recommendation that suggested banning Google from AI investments could lead to unintended consequences in the rapidly evolving AI sector. Instead, the government now seeks a requirement that Google provide prior notice of any future investments in generative AI. This move comes as part of a broader campaign by President Donald Trump, who has vowed to continue cracking down on Big Tech. Trump has appointed veteran antitrust attorney Gail Slater to lead the DOJ’s efforts in these cases.
Google currently holds a minority stake in Anthropic valued at billions of dollars. Critics argue that forcing a sale could inadvertently hand a competitive edge to OpenAI and its partner Microsoft. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta has scheduled a trial on the remaining proposals for April.
The case is one among several high-profile antitrust actions facing major tech companies, with Apple, Meta Platforms, and Amazon also confronting allegations of maintaining illegal monopolies in their respective markets. Since his reelection, Google has warned that the DOJ’s approach could undermine its competitiveness in AI and jeopardize America’s global economic and technological leadership.
Microsoft is working on a new generation of in-house artificial intelligence reasoning models designed to rival those from OpenAI, according to a report by The Information.
Alibaba Group’s shares climbed by more than 8% on Thursday following the release of its latest artificial intelligence reasoning model, QwQ-32B.
OpenAI is reportedly gearing up to launch a suite of specialized AI “agent” products that could cost users as much as $20,000 per month, according to The Information.
Google has open sourced SpeciesNet, an artificial intelligence model designed to automatically identify animal species from photos captured by camera traps.
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has stirred conversation in the tech community by claiming that its AI models could achieve a “cost profit margin” of 545% under ideal conditions.
Pope Francis continues his treatment for pneumonia at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, as people gather outside to pray near the statue of the late Pope John Paul II, offering support during this challenging time.
President Donald Trump is preparing a new travel ban that could block entry for people from Afghanistan and Pakistan as early as next week. The move is part of an intensified immigration crackdown.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, will chair the 20th EU-Central Asia Ministerial meeting hosted this year by Turkmenistan, in Ashgabat, on 4 March.
Heavy rainfall in northwestern Peru has caused a river to overflow, destroying infrastructure, flooding agricultural lands, and affecting at least 150 families in Tumbes province.
Two buses have collided in Barcelona today, Monday 3 March which has left 51 people injured, four of which are said to be critical.
Election posters from the Inuit Ataqatigiit party are seen in Nuuk ahead of the March 11th general election in Greenland.
Pope Francis continues his treatment for pneumonia at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, as people gather outside to pray near the statue of the late Pope John Paul II, offering support during this challenging time.
Pope Francis continues his treatment for pneumonia at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, as people gather outside to pray near the statue of the late Pope John Paul II, offering support during this challenging time.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment