Google CEO Sundar Pichai is set to testify today in a major antitrust trial that could change how billions of people use the internet.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is pushing for big changes, including forcing Google to sell its Chrome browser and stop paying to be the default search engine on popular devices.
Pichai’s testimony in Washington will be a key moment in the trial, as Google defends itself against accusations that it has crushed competition in online search.
The Justice Department argues that Google’s massive influence over internet searches is bad for innovation and keeps other search engines from getting a fair shot — especially now that search is evolving into AI-powered tools like ChatGPT.
A judge already ruled that Google has a monopoly in online search, thanks in part to its deals with companies like Apple, Samsung, AT&T, and Verizon.
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These companies get billions of dollars from Google in exchange for making it the default search engine on phones and devices.
Now, the DOJ wants those deals to stop — and it’s also asking the court to make Google share search data with competitors to give them a chance to catch up.
Google says that kind of ruling would hurt smaller players like Mozilla (which runs Firefox) and could even put user privacy at risk.
Google also argues that it’s already making changes, like letting phone makers pre-install other search and AI tools alongside Google’s.
This case could reshape the way people find information online — and may even affect the future of how artificial intelligence is built and accessed.
No matter what the judge decides, Google says it’s ready to appeal.
