Gabriel Weinberg, CEO of DuckDuckGo, testified Wednesday in the ongoing Google antitrust trial. He stated that Google’s Chrome browser could be sold for as much as $50 billion if the tech giant were ordered to spin off the browser. Weinberg made this estimate based on Chrome’s extensive user base.
This trial is focused on determining potential remedies after a court found that Google had established a monopoly in the search market. One proposed remedy by the Department of Justice would require Google to sell its Chrome browser. Weinberg’s valuation of Chrome is significantly higher than the $20 billion estimated by Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Mandeep Singh last November.
It's worth more to Google IMO (for the data) -> US v. Google: DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg testifies that Chrome is worth “upwards of $50B if it went on the market” based on “back-of-the-envelope” math
“I think it’s upwards of $50 billion if it went on the market, and… pic.twitter.com/Zh1HAhHfvt
— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) April 24, 2025
OpenAI eyes Chrome acquisition
On a separate note, Nick Turley, Head of Product at OpenAI, testified on Tuesday that if Chrome were to be sold, many parties, including OpenAI, would be interested in acquiring it. Turley mentioned that integrating Chrome more deeply with OpenAI’s products could enhance the user experience, particularly for their AI chatbot, ChatGPT.
Well, it would give them a product focus, I guess >> OpenAI would buy Google's Chrome, exec testifies at trial https://t.co/HMySvCeInq
— Nick Patience (@nickpatience) April 22, 2025
Turley also revealed that OpenAI had approached Google last summer to explore a partnership that would allow ChatGPT to leverage Google’s search technology for more accurate and timely responses. However, Google declined this request in August.
According to The Information, OpenAI executive Nick Turley testified that OpenAI would consider buying Google’s Chrome browser if the court forces Google to sell it as part of remedies proposed by the DOJ against Google's alleged illegal search monopoly
– Turley testified that… pic.twitter.com/bgCmZuqobC
— Tibor Blaho (@btibor91) April 22, 2025
The three-week antitrust trial commenced on Monday, April 21, and is being presided over by the same U.S. District Judge who previously ruled that Google maintained an illegal monopoly in the search business through practices such as paying Apple to make its search engine the default option on Apple devices.
This case continues to garner significant attention as it explores the dynamics and competitive practices within the tech industry.
Image Credits: Photo by Sanket Mishra on Pexels
Johannah Lopez is a versatile professional who seamlessly navigates two worlds. By day, she excels as a SaaS freelance writer, crafting informative and persuasive content for tech companies. By night, she showcases her vibrant personality and customer service skills as a part-time bartender. Johannah's ability to blend her writing expertise with her social finesse makes her a well-rounded and engaging storyteller in any setting.
