## “Crushing” Antitrust Remedies Could End Google Search, Pichai Warns
Google CEO Sundar Pichai testified on Wednesday in the remedies phase of the company’s antitrust trial, painting a bleak picture of the future should the Department of Justice (DOJ) succeed in its proposed remedies. According to Pichai, the government’s plan to address Google’s alleged search monopoly would be so detrimental to the core functionality and financial viability of Google Search that it might not be justifiable to continue its development.
The testimony came as part of Google’s defense, following over a week of questioning by the DOJ. Google’s legal team, led by John Schmidtlein, first focused on highlighting the company’s substantial R&D investments, revealing a staggering $49 billion spent last year alone on Search, AI, and related projects. The line of questioning then shifted to the DOJ’s key proposal: forcing Google to share significant amounts of its search data and its search index with competitors, essentially at a “marginal cost.”
Pichai vehemently opposed this proposal, describing it as a “disaster,” “far-reaching,” and “extraordinary.” He expressed visible bewilderment at the very idea, suggesting that forcing Google to relinquish its search index and its ranking algorithms would have catastrophic consequences for the company and its ability to provide a valuable search service.
The full extent of the DOJ’s proposed remedies and the potential ramifications for Google Search remain to be seen as the antitrust trial continues. However, Pichai’s testimony underscores the high stakes involved and the potential for significant disruption to the search landscape. The case, detailed further at The Verge, promises to be a landmark moment in the ongoing debate about tech monopolies and the future of the internet.
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