Court orders new limits on Google’s search and AI deals

Google’s U.S. antitrust case has entered a new phase, with U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta issuing expanded conditions that outline how the company must alter its business practices after being found to hold an illegal monopoly in internet search, according to a news report.

Google was ruled in 2024 to have violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act by maintaining monopoly power in search and search advertising. The Justice Department had sought broader remedies, including requiring Google to divest its Chrome browser, but the court rejected those proposals earlier this year. Instead, the company was directed to adjust its control over search data and revise key commercial arrangements.

The latest filings detail new restrictions. Google will no longer be permitted to enter into long-term default search agreements, such as its multibillion-dollar deal with Apple, unless the contracts are limited to one year. The same cap applies across Google’s broader ecosystem and includes agreements involving generative AI systems and any software or service that uses large language models.

“GenAI plays a significant role in these remedies,” Mehta wrote, extending the court’s oversight into Google’s AI products and their potential influence on competition.

The order also establishes a technical committee to supervise Google’s data-sharing obligations. Members are required to have expertise in areas including AI, software engineering, information retrieval, behavioural science, economics and data privacy, and must avoid conflicts of interest. The committee will receive access to Google’s source code and algorithms under confidentiality rules.

A central requirement remains Google’s obligation to share portions of its raw search interaction data with qualified competitors. The order does not compel the company to provide its ranking algorithms, but Mehta noted that limited access to data could help rival search engines improve their models and address disparities stemming from Google’s long-term market advantage.

Google has indicated it plans to appeal the monopoly finding. The company has not issued additional comment on the expanded conditions.