In a case heard in the US, Judge Amit Mehta found Google’s search engine monopoly illegal but rejected the harsh sanctions requested by the government. He cited the rise of artificial intelligence companies in the last two years and the competitive pressure they have created as reasons.
The judge emphasized that productive AI tools such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude have begun to be used by millions of users as alternatives to Google.
Therefore, Google’s more limited proposed solutions were accepted. The decision could set a precedent for other tech giants like Meta, Apple, and Amazon. According to experts, companies could use this decision as a basis for the argument that “technology is changing rapidly, and antitrust lawsuits are becoming irrelevant.” Nevertheless, the pressure created by the lawsuits is not without consequences. Google lifted restrictions on device manufacturers this year, while Amazon was forced to disable its hidden pricing algorithm in 2019, which cost consumers more than $1 billion. Experts use the analogy of “innovation is the rabbit, antitrust law is the tortoise,” arguing that a more lasting solution lies not only in courts but also in industry-specific regulations.
