If ever a Silicon Valley saga deserved a portmanteau, "ChatGnome" might be it.
That's because OpenAI has thrown its hat in the ring as a possible buyer for Google’s Chrome browser, should the US government order a sell-off.
At a remedy hearing in Washington this week, OpenAI’s head of product suggested the company would be keen to snap up Chrome and reimagine it as an “AI-first experience”, with ChatGPT baked in from the ground up.
With 3.5 billion users worldwide, Chrome is the digital front door to the internet – and a tantalising prize for any would-be buyer.
The hearing follows a 2024 antitrust ruling that found Google had illegally cemented Chrome’s dominance by making it the default across iPhones, Android devices and more.
If the court orders a sale, it would mark the biggest tech divestiture since the 1980s. A final decision is expected in May.
Of course, Google plans to appeal.