OpenAI‘s Actions May Have Shielded Google From Antitrust Scrutiny
WASHINGTON – A series of moves by OpenAI, including the release of its GPT models and strategic partnerships, may have inadvertently lessened the pressure on Google, perhaps averting a Department of Justice (DOJ) breakup, according to documents unsealed September 2, 2025, in the ongoing antitrust case against the tech giant.the unsealed filings suggest the DOJ considered a structural remedy – forcing Google to spin off parts of its business – before OpenAI’s rapid advancements reshaped the competitive landscape.
The DOJ’s antitrust lawsuit, filed in January 2023, alleges Google illegally maintains monopolies in search and search advertising. Internal DOJ discussions, revealed in court filings, indicate officials initially believed Google’s dominance was insurmountable.However, OpenAI’s emergence as a significant competitor, especially with the November 2022 launch of ChatGPT and subsequent releases of more powerful models, altered that assessment.The filings detail how the DOJ reevaluated its potential remedies, factoring in OpenAI’s growing influence and the increased viability of option search technologies.
specifically, the DOJ explored whether a breakup of Google’s advertising businesses was necessary to restore competition. The documents show the agency considered separating Google’s ad exchange, Ad Manager, from its search engine. However, the rise of AI-powered search, spearheaded by OpenAI and later adopted by Microsoft’s Bing, presented a new competitive dynamic. The DOJ concluded that a breakup might be less effective in fostering competition if AI-driven search engines could challenge Google’s core search business.
“The competitive threat from openai and other AI companies has changed the calculus,” one redacted DOJ memo stated, according to the filings. ”A structural remedy may be less necessary if the market is evolving rapidly.”
The case is ongoing, with a trial scheduled for September 2026. The unsealed documents offer a rare glimpse into the internal deliberations of the DOJ and the impact of technological innovation on antitrust enforcement. The outcome of the case could have far-reaching implications for the future of the search industry and the regulation of big tech companies.
