Google\u2019s Chrome browser would have many potential buyers if it were spun off, with OpenAI among them, an OpenAI executive told a court Tuesday (April 22).
\nTestifying during a trial that will determine remedies for Google\u2019s dominance of the search market, as required by a judge\u2019s ruling last year, OpenAI\u2019s Head of Product, ChatGPT Nick Turley said OpenAI and \u201cmany other parties\u201d would try to buy Chrome if it were available, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.
\nChatGPT can be downloaded as an extension for the Chrome browser, but it would be a better product if Chrome were more deeply integrated into OpenAI, Turley said, according to the report.
\nIn that case, Turley said, OpenAI would \u201chave the ability to introduce users into what an AI-first experience looks like.\u201d
\nForcing Google to sell its Chrome browser is one of the remedies proposed by the Justice Department that are now being considered in the current stage of the antitrust trial.
\nGoogle argued that this remedy and others proposed by the Justice Department would degrade the products consumers use every day. The company has suggested instead that consumers be allowed to select their preferred browser and that Google then be able to split revenue with competitors.
\nImmediately after the antitrust ruling announced in August, Google vowed that it would appeal the verdict, with Kent Walker, global affairs president at Google, telling PYMNTS that the decision \u201crecognizes that Google offers the best search engine but concludes that we shouldn\u2019t be allowed to make it easily available.\u201d
\nOpenAI unveiled its latest AI models last week, saying that the new o3 and o4-mini reasoning models are the \u201csmartest\u201d it has released to date and represent a \u201cstep change\u201d in ChatGPT\u2019s capabilities.
\nFor one thing, the company said, these models represent a big step toward most robust agentic AI systems that can independently execute tasks on behalf of users.
\nOpenAI CEO Sam Altman said April 11 at a TED 2025 event that the company\u2019s generative AI systems have reached about 800 million people, adding that \u201csomething like 10% of the world uses our systems, now a lot.\u201d
\nThe post OpenAI Executive Says His Company and Many Others Would Buy Chrome Browser appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Google\u2019s Chrome browser would have many potential buyers if it were spun off, with OpenAI among them, an OpenAI executive told a court Tuesday (April 22).\nTestifying during a trial that will determine remedies for Google\u2019s dominance of the search market, as required by a judge\u2019s ruling last year, OpenAI\u2019s Head of Product, ChatGPT Nick Turley said OpenAI and \u201cmany other parties\u201d would try to buy Chrome if it were available, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.\nChatGPT can be downloaded as an extension for the Chrome browser, but it would be a better product if Chrome were more deeply integrated into OpenAI, Turley said, according to the report.\nIn that case, Turley said, OpenAI would \u201chave the ability to introduce users into what an AI-first experience looks like.\u201d\nForcing Google to sell its Chrome browser is one of the remedies proposed by the Justice Department that are now being considered in the current stage of the antitrust trial.\nGoogle argued that this remedy and others proposed by the Justice Department would degrade the products consumers use every day. The company has suggested instead that consumers be allowed to select their preferred browser and that Google then be able to split revenue with competitors.\nImmediately after the antitrust ruling announced in August, Google vowed that it would appeal the verdict, with Kent Walker, global affairs president at Google, telling PYMNTS that the decision \u201crecognizes that Google offers the best search engine but concludes that we shouldn\u2019t be allowed to make it easily available.\u201d\nOpenAI unveiled its latest AI models last week, saying that the new o3 and o4-mini reasoning models are the \u201csmartest\u201d it has released to date and represent a \u201cstep change\u201d in ChatGPT\u2019s capabilities.\nFor one thing, the company said, these models represent a big step toward most robust agentic AI systems that can independently execute tasks on behalf of users.\nOpenAI CEO Sam Altman said April 11 at a TED 2025 event that the company\u2019s generative AI systems have reached about 800 million people, adding that \u201csomething like 10% of the world uses our systems, now a lot.\u201d\nThe post OpenAI Executive Says His Company and Many Others Would Buy Chrome Browser appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-22T17:18:55-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-22T17:18:55-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Google-Chrome-OpenAI.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "Antitrust", "artificial intelligence", "ChatGPT", "Chrome", "Google", "justice department", "News", "Nick Turley", "OpenAI", "PYMNTS News", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2689428", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/google/2025/antitrust-trial-reveals-google-rejected-openai-partnership/", "title": "Antitrust Trial Reveals Google Rejected OpenAI Partnership", "content_html": "Last summer, OpenAI approached Google about a partnership to power ChatGPT, but it got turned down.
\nThat information came to light Tuesday (April 22) during testimony by Nick Turley, OpenAI\u2019s head of product for ChatGPT, during the remedy phase of the Department of Justice (DOJ) antitrust trial against Google in Washington.
\nAccording to Reuters, Turley told the court that OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, was experiencing issues with its existing search provider. According to reports by Reuters and Yahoo, that\u2019s Microsoft Bing. Turley stated that ChatGPT was years away from being able to answer most queries using its own search technology, reports said.
\nOpenAI reportedly contacted Google about an application programming interface (API) integration that would improve ChatGPT\u2019s ability to deliver accurate and up-to-date answers. Google declined the request in August, Turley said. An email from Google presented in court revealed the reason was that an integration would involve too many competitors, according to reports.
\nThe suit by the DOJ and a coalition of state attorneys general could lead to a possible breakup of Google\u2019s core businesses.
\nAccording to reports, prosecutors said in opening statements Monday that a search monopoly could give the company an unfair advantages in artificial intelligence (AI), and that its AI products would funnel users to its search engine.
\nU.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled in August that Google illegally maintained a monopoly in online search through exclusive agreements with Samsung to make Google the default search engine.
\nReports say that evidence presented in court showed Google had considered exclusive deals with Android phone manufacturers for not only its search app, but also its Gemini AI app and Chrome browser. Ultimately, Google shifted to less restrictive agreements, allowing device makers and carriers to install other search and AI offerings.
\nThe Big Tech firm has argued that this non-exclusive stance sufficiently addresses Mehta\u2019s ruling. However, reports say, the DOJ is pushing for an outright ban on Google making lucrative payments in exchange for installation of its search app.
\nAccording to reports, Google executive Peter Fitzgerald testified on Tuesday that its agreements do not prohibit mobile device companies from installing other AI products on new devices.
\nA Yahoo report stated that OpenAI is interested in acquiring Chrome if parent company Alphabet is ordered to sell the web browser. Google has not offered Chrome for sale.
\nGoogle, which is likely to appeal a breakup order, maintains it already has robust competition \u2014 specifically naming Meta Platforms and Microsoft, according to reports.
\nThe post Antitrust Trial Reveals Google Rejected OpenAI Partnership appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Last summer, OpenAI approached Google about a partnership to power ChatGPT, but it got turned down.\nThat information came to light Tuesday (April 22) during testimony by Nick Turley, OpenAI\u2019s head of product for ChatGPT, during the remedy phase of the Department of Justice (DOJ) antitrust trial against Google in Washington.\nAccording to Reuters, Turley told the court that OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, was experiencing issues with its existing search provider. According to reports by Reuters and Yahoo, that\u2019s Microsoft Bing. Turley stated that ChatGPT was years away from being able to answer most queries using its own search technology, reports said.\nOpenAI reportedly contacted Google about an application programming interface (API) integration that would improve ChatGPT\u2019s ability to deliver accurate and up-to-date answers. Google declined the request in August, Turley said. An email from Google presented in court revealed the reason was that an integration would involve too many competitors, according to reports. \nThe suit by the DOJ and a coalition of state attorneys general could lead to a possible breakup of Google\u2019s core businesses.\nAccording to reports, prosecutors said in opening statements Monday that a search monopoly could give the company an unfair advantages in artificial intelligence (AI), and that its AI products would funnel users to its search engine.\nU.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled in August that Google illegally maintained a monopoly in online search through exclusive agreements with Samsung to make Google the default search engine. \nReports say that evidence presented in court showed Google had considered exclusive deals with Android phone manufacturers for not only its search app, but also its Gemini AI app and Chrome browser. Ultimately, Google shifted to less restrictive agreements, allowing device makers and carriers to install other search and AI offerings.\nThe Big Tech firm has argued that this non-exclusive stance sufficiently addresses Mehta\u2019s ruling. However, reports say, the DOJ is pushing for an outright ban on Google making lucrative payments in exchange for installation of its search app.\nAccording to reports, Google executive Peter Fitzgerald testified on Tuesday that its agreements do not prohibit mobile device companies from installing other AI products on new devices.\nA Yahoo report stated that OpenAI is interested in acquiring Chrome if parent company Alphabet is ordered to sell the web browser. Google has not offered Chrome for sale.\nGoogle, which is likely to appeal a breakup order, maintains it already has robust competition \u2014 specifically naming Meta Platforms and Microsoft, according to reports. \nThe post Antitrust Trial Reveals Google Rejected OpenAI Partnership appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-22T17:11:19-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-22T17:11:19-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Google-lawsuit-legal.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "Antitrust", "artificial intelligence", "Department of Justice", "DoJ", "Google", "Lawsuits", "legal", "News", "OpenAI", "partnerships", "PYMNTS News", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2689391", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/google/2025/google-executive-says-motorola-and-samsung-phones-will-have-several-ai-apps/", "title": "Google Executive Says Motorola and Samsung Phones Will Have Several AI Apps", "content_html": "Motorola phones that are soon to be released will feature an assortment of artificial intelligence (AI) apps, including those from Perplexity AI, Microsoft and Google, a Google executive reportedly told a court Tuesday (April 22).
\nTestifying in the Justice Department\u2019s antitrust case against Google, Peter Fitzgerald, vice president of platforms and device partnerships at Google, shared this news to support the company\u2019s claims that there are options available to customers, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.
\nSamsung is also in talks to add several AI apps to its phones, Fitzgerald said, per the report.
\nFitzgerald also told the court, according to the report, that Google sent letters to phone manufacturers and U.S. wireless carriers last week, clarifying that its contracts don\u2019t prevent them from installing other companies\u2019 voice assistants or generative AI apps.
\nIn this antitrust trial, Google is arguing against a breakup of the company, while the Department of Justice and several state attorneys general are advocating for the remedies they have proposed for Google\u2019s dominance in the search market.
\nThe trial is being heard by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, the same judge who ruled in August that Google illegally maintained a monopoly in the search business with practices like paying Apple to make its search engine the default option on that company\u2019s devices.
\nThe changes proposed by the Justice Department include forcing Google to sell its Chrome browser, license search data to competitors and stop paying other companies to make its products the primary choice on their devices and services.
\nIt was reported Tuesday that Perplexity AI has been asked to testify during this remedies phase of the trial and that the company is using its platform to speak out against the proposed structural remedies.
\nPerplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas said in a Monday (April 21) post on X: \u201cThe DOJ is pushing for Chrome to be divested from Google. We don\u2019t believe anyone else can run a browser at that scale without a hit on quality, nor the business model to be able to serve that many users profitably by keeping the browser free. Chromium is open source, and others can build using that. Evidence: Microsoft Edge and Perplexity\u2019s upcoming Comet browser.\u201d
\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily\u00a0AI\u00a0Newsletter.
\nThe post Google Executive Says Motorola and Samsung Phones Will Have Several AI Apps appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Motorola phones that are soon to be released will feature an assortment of artificial intelligence (AI) apps, including those from Perplexity AI, Microsoft and Google, a Google executive reportedly told a court Tuesday (April 22).\nTestifying in the Justice Department\u2019s antitrust case against Google, Peter Fitzgerald, vice president of platforms and device partnerships at Google, shared this news to support the company\u2019s claims that there are options available to customers, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.\nSamsung is also in talks to add several AI apps to its phones, Fitzgerald said, per the report.\nFitzgerald also told the court, according to the report, that Google sent letters to phone manufacturers and U.S. wireless carriers last week, clarifying that its contracts don\u2019t prevent them from installing other companies\u2019 voice assistants or generative AI apps.\nIn this antitrust trial, Google is arguing against a breakup of the company, while the Department of Justice and several state attorneys general are advocating for the remedies they have proposed for Google\u2019s dominance in the search market.\nThe trial is being heard by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, the same judge who ruled in August that Google illegally maintained a monopoly in the search business with practices like paying Apple to make its search engine the default option on that company\u2019s devices.\nThe changes proposed by the Justice Department include forcing Google to sell its Chrome browser, license search data to competitors and stop paying other companies to make its products the primary choice on their devices and services.\nIt was reported Tuesday that Perplexity AI has been asked to testify during this remedies phase of the trial and that the company is using its platform to speak out against the proposed structural remedies.\nPerplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas said in a Monday (April 21) post on X: \u201cThe DOJ is pushing for Chrome to be divested from Google. We don\u2019t believe anyone else can run a browser at that scale without a hit on quality, nor the business model to be able to serve that many users profitably by keeping the browser free. Chromium is open source, and others can build using that. Evidence: Microsoft Edge and Perplexity\u2019s upcoming Comet browser.\u201d\n\nFor all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily\u00a0AI\u00a0Newsletter.\n\nThe post Google Executive Says Motorola and Samsung Phones Will Have Several AI Apps appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-22T16:25:22-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-22T16:25:22-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Google.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "Antitrust", "artificial intelligence", "Google", "Google antitrust trial", "Microsoft", "Motorola", "News", "Perplexity AI", "PYMNTS News", "Samsung", "Smartphones", "Technology", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2687732", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/google/2025/google-updates-workspace-with-more-capabilities/", "title": "Google Updates Workspace With More Capabilities", "content_html": "Google is upgrading Workspace, its rival to Microsoft 365, by embedding more artificial intelligence (AI) and other functionality into the platform.
\nWorkspace includes Google\u2019s Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Meet, Google Drive, Slides, Calendar and other tools many workers use globally.
\nHere are the Workspace updates Google recently announced:
\nGoogle built an AI analyst to help workers make sense of data in Google Sheets.
\nThe \u201cHelp me analyze\u201d AI assistant helps employees get started, points out trends that they might have missed, recommends next steps for deeper insights and creates interactive charts to visualize the data.
\n\u201cHelp me analyze\u201d is coming to Sheets later this year. (PYMNTS reached out to Google to get a more specific release date.)
\nAlso, Google recently rolled out a feature in Sheets enabling users to generate \u201cdeeper\u201d insights about trends or patterns between different data points and generate visual \u201cheatmaps,\u201d in addition to charts.
\nFor example, a marketing manager analyzing a retail ad campaign can ask Gemini to produce insights and create a chart about the best three performing marketing channels by conversion rate, according to Google. Gemini can generate the report, along with visuals like distribution plots to analyze channel performance.
\nRead more: Google Makes AI Features Free to Workspace Subscribers
\nWorkspace users can now use Deep Research, powered by Gemini 2.5 Pro Experimental, through the Gemini app.
\nDeep Research is a personal research assistant that automates the process of gathering, analyzing and summarizing online information. It can help with research preparation ahead of a client meeting.
\nIt then generates detailed reports, which come with links to sources, and users can ask questions about the findings. These reports can be exported to Google Docs and shared with colleagues.
\nUse cases for Deep Research include market analysis, product comparisons, academic research and more.
\nGemini 2.5 Pro Experimental is Google\u2019s most capable AI model to date.
\nLast year, Google Drive got the ability to automatically generate captions for uploaded videos. Now, Google is adding video transcripts to videos in Google Drive. Users can now view and search transcripts, which appear in a side bar next to the video player. It highlights the text as it is being spoken.
\nThis capability makes it easier to find specific moments in videos.
\nGoogle\u2019s popular audio overview tool, NotebookLM, is being integrated into Google Docs.
\nNotebookLM takes any documents and turns it into a 2-person AI-generated podcast. In Docs, NotebookLM can create either full audio versions of documents in Docs or turn them into podcasts.
\nThe capability will be arriving in coming weeks.
\nDocs\u2019 AI-powered \u201cHelp me write\u201d feature supports English, French, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, Portugese and German.
\nGmail can help write emails in eight languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese Korean, Japanese, Italian, French and German.
\nGoogle\u2019s video conferencing platform, Google Meet, is also adding more languages for taking notes. It is available in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish.
\nSee also: Google\u2019s New Workplace AI Bot Underscores Big Tech\u2019s Enterprise Focus
\nThe post Google Updates Workspace With More Capabilities appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Google is upgrading Workspace, its rival to Microsoft 365, by embedding more artificial intelligence (AI) and other functionality into the platform.\nWorkspace includes Google\u2019s Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Meet, Google Drive, Slides, Calendar and other tools many workers use globally.\nHere are the Workspace updates Google recently announced:\nGoogle Sheets Adds New AI Analyst\nGoogle built an AI analyst to help workers make sense of data in Google Sheets.\nThe \u201cHelp me analyze\u201d AI assistant helps employees get started, points out trends that they might have missed, recommends next steps for deeper insights and creates interactive charts to visualize the data.\n\u201cHelp me analyze\u201d is coming to Sheets later this year. (PYMNTS reached out to Google to get a more specific release date.)\nAlso, Google recently rolled out a feature in Sheets enabling users to generate \u201cdeeper\u201d insights about trends or patterns between different data points and generate visual \u201cheatmaps,\u201d in addition to charts.\nFor example, a marketing manager analyzing a retail ad campaign can ask Gemini to produce insights and create a chart about the best three performing marketing channels by conversion rate, according to Google. Gemini can generate the report, along with visuals like distribution plots to analyze channel performance.\nRead more: Google Makes AI Features Free to Workspace Subscribers\nDeep Research Is Accessible Through the Gemini App\nWorkspace users can now use Deep Research, powered by Gemini 2.5 Pro Experimental, through the Gemini app.\nDeep Research is a personal research assistant that automates the process of gathering, analyzing and summarizing online information. It can help with research preparation ahead of a client meeting.\nIt then generates detailed reports, which come with links to sources, and users can ask questions about the findings. These reports can be exported to Google Docs and shared with colleagues.\nUse cases for Deep Research include market analysis, product comparisons, academic research and more.\nGemini 2.5 Pro Experimental is Google\u2019s most capable AI model to date.\nGoogle Drive to Offer Video Transcripts\nLast year, Google Drive got the ability to automatically generate captions for uploaded videos. Now, Google is adding video transcripts to videos in Google Drive. Users can now view and search transcripts, which appear in a side bar next to the video player. It highlights the text as it is being spoken.\nThis capability makes it easier to find specific moments in videos.\nNotebookLM Is Coming to Google Docs\nGoogle\u2019s popular audio overview tool, NotebookLM, is being integrated into Google Docs.\nNotebookLM takes any documents and turns it into a 2-person AI-generated podcast. In Docs, NotebookLM can create either full audio versions of documents in Docs or turn them into podcasts.\nThe capability will be arriving in coming weeks.\nGoogle Docs, Gmail and Google Meet Add More Languages\nDocs\u2019 AI-powered \u201cHelp me write\u201d feature supports English, French, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, Portugese and German.\nGmail can help write emails in eight languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese Korean, Japanese, Italian, French and German.\nGoogle\u2019s video conferencing platform, Google Meet, is also adding more languages for taking notes. It is available in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish.\nSee also: Google\u2019s New Workplace AI Bot Underscores Big Tech\u2019s Enterprise Focus\nThe post Google Updates Workspace With More Capabilities appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-18T17:10:18-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-18T17:10:18-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Google-Workspace.png", "tags": [ "AI", "AI Assistants", "artificial intelligence", "Gmail", "Google", "Google AI", "Google Sheets", "Google Workspace", "News", "PYMNTS News", "Technology" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2687710", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/google/2025/google-to-appeal-ruling-in-advertising-technology-case/", "title": "Google to Appeal Ruling in Advertising Technology Case", "content_html": "Google reportedly said Friday (April 18) that it will appeal a judge\u2019s ruling announced Thursday (April 17) that the company holds an illegal monopoly on online advertising technology.
\nThe company said the judge delivered a \u201cmixed decision\u201d in which she said the\u00a0Justice Department failed to show that Google\u2019s advertising tools or acquisitions of DoubleClick and AdMeld were anticompetitive but also said Google\u2019s publisher tools exclude rivals, thereby violating antitrust laws, Reuters\u00a0reported Friday.
\nGoogle\u2019s vice president for regulatory affairs,\u00a0Lee-Anne Mulholland, said in a statement provided to PYMNTS Thursday that the company would appeal the half of the case\u00a0that it did not win.
\n\u201cWe won half of this\u00a0case and we will appeal the other half,\u201d Mulholland said in the statement. \u201cThe Court found that our advertiser tools and our acquisitions, such as DoubleClick,\u00a0don\u2019t harm competition. We disagree with the Court\u2019s decision regarding our publisher tools. Publishers have many\u00a0options and they choose Google because our ad tech tools are simple,\u00a0affordable and effective.\u201d
\nIn the decision announced Thursday, Judge Leonie Brinkema found Google had violated the law to establish its dominance in the online advertising system.
\nThe Department of Justice and a group of states had sued the company, claiming that its monopoly in advertising technology (AdTech) helped Google charge higher prices and take a larger portion of each sale.
\nGoogle at trial had offered up expert testimony that regulators ignored the wider scope of competition faced by Google.
\n\u201cIn addition to depriving rivals of the ability to compete, this exclusionary conduct substantially harmed Google\u2019s publisher customers, the competitive process, and, ultimately, consumers of information on the open web,\u201d Brinkema said, while also dismissing one portion of the government\u2019s case.
\nThe Department of Justice said\u00a0in\u00a0a Thursday\u00a0press release that the court held that Google violated antitrust law by monopolizing open-web digital advertising markets.
\n\u201cThis is a landmark victory in the ongoing fight to stop Google from monopolizing the digital public square,\u201d Attorney General\u00a0Pam Bondi said in the release. \u201cThis Department of Justice will continue taking bold legal action to protect the American people from encroachments on free speech and free markets by tech companies.\u201d
\nThe post Google to Appeal Ruling in Advertising Technology Case appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Google reportedly said Friday (April 18) that it will appeal a judge\u2019s ruling announced Thursday (April 17) that the company holds an illegal monopoly on online advertising technology.\nThe company said the judge delivered a \u201cmixed decision\u201d in which she said the\u00a0Justice Department failed to show that Google\u2019s advertising tools or acquisitions of DoubleClick and AdMeld were anticompetitive but also said Google\u2019s publisher tools exclude rivals, thereby violating antitrust laws, Reuters\u00a0reported Friday.\nGoogle\u2019s vice president for regulatory affairs,\u00a0Lee-Anne Mulholland, said in a statement provided to PYMNTS Thursday that the company would appeal the half of the case\u00a0that it did not win.\n\u201cWe won half of this\u00a0case and we will appeal the other half,\u201d Mulholland said in the statement. \u201cThe Court found that our advertiser tools and our acquisitions, such as DoubleClick,\u00a0don\u2019t harm competition. We disagree with the Court\u2019s decision regarding our publisher tools. Publishers have many\u00a0options and they choose Google because our ad tech tools are simple,\u00a0affordable and effective.\u201d\nIn the decision announced Thursday, Judge Leonie Brinkema found Google had violated the law to establish its dominance in the online advertising system.\nThe Department of Justice and a group of states had sued the company, claiming that its monopoly in advertising technology (AdTech) helped Google charge higher prices and take a larger portion of each sale.\nGoogle at trial had offered up expert testimony that regulators ignored the wider scope of competition faced by Google.\n\u201cIn addition to depriving rivals of the ability to compete, this exclusionary conduct substantially harmed Google\u2019s publisher customers, the competitive process, and, ultimately, consumers of information on the open web,\u201d Brinkema said, while also dismissing one portion of the government\u2019s case.\nThe Department of Justice said\u00a0in\u00a0a Thursday\u00a0press release that the court held that Google violated antitrust law by monopolizing open-web digital advertising markets.\n\u201cThis is a landmark victory in the ongoing fight to stop Google from monopolizing the digital public square,\u201d Attorney General\u00a0Pam Bondi said in the release. \u201cThis Department of Justice will continue taking bold legal action to protect the American people from encroachments on free speech and free markets by tech companies.\u201d\nThe post Google to Appeal Ruling in Advertising Technology Case appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-18T16:10:36-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-18T16:10:36-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Google-lawsuits-DOJ-antitrust.jpg", "tags": [ "AdTech", "advertising", "Antitrust", "Department of Justice", "DoJ", "Google", "justice department", "lawsuits. monopoly", "legal", "News", "PYMNTS News", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2686314", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/google/2025/google-bolsters-ad-safety-efforts-with-enhanced-ai-tools/", "title": "Google Bolsters Ad Safety Efforts With Enhanced AI Tools", "content_html": "Google said Wednesday (April 16) that it strengthened its use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the ad safety realm to protect consumers and its advertising ecosystem by making more than 50 enhancements to its large language models (LLMs) in 2024.
\n\u201cThese updates sped up complex investigations, helping us identify bad actors and fraud signals \u2014 like illegitimate payment information \u2014 during account setup,\u201d Alex Rodriguez, general manager of ads safety at Google, said in a Wednesday blog post announcing the release of the company\u2019s 2024 Ads Safety Report.
\n\u201cThis kept billions of policy-violating ads from ever showing to a consumer, while ensuring legitimate businesses can show ads to customers faster.\u201d
\nRodriguez highlighted the company\u2019s efforts to combat the use of AI-generated public figure impersonation ads. The company did so by developing countermeasures that include a new policy that suspends advertisers that promote those scams.
\n\u201cAs a result, we were able to permanently suspend more than 700,000 offending advertiser accounts,\u201d Rodriguez wrote in the post. \u201cThis led to a 90% drop in reports of this kind of scam ad this year.\u201d
\nThe report outlined Google\u2019s efforts in some other areas as well. These include advertiser identity verification, which provides transparency about who is behind an ad and prevents suspended bad actors from returning; advertiser policy enforcement, which prohibits content that Google believes to be harmful to users and the advertising ecosystem; restricted ads, which ensure that legally or culturally sensitive ads about things like gambling and alcohol are shown only to users in appropriate locations; and publisher enforcement, which helps publisher monetize their content while upholding their policies and restrictions, according to the report.
\nOverall, in 2024, with the help of AI, Google removed 5.1 billion advertisements, restricted 9.1 billion advertisements and suspended 39.2 million advertiser accounts, per the report.
\n\u201cThe ad safety landscape is constantly changing, reshaped by technological breakthroughs like advancements in AI, emerging abuse tactics and global events, demanding continuous agility from our industry,\u201d the report said. \u201cIn this dynamic environment, we are meeting these challenges head-on, deploying cutting-edge technology and collaborating with partners to foster a safer online experience for everyone.\u201d
\nThe post Google Bolsters Ad Safety Efforts With Enhanced AI Tools appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Google said Wednesday (April 16) that it strengthened its use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the ad safety realm to protect consumers and its advertising ecosystem by making more than 50 enhancements to its large language models (LLMs) in 2024.\n\u201cThese updates sped up complex investigations, helping us identify bad actors and fraud signals \u2014 like illegitimate payment information \u2014 during account setup,\u201d Alex Rodriguez, general manager of ads safety at Google, said in a Wednesday blog post announcing the release of the company\u2019s 2024 Ads Safety Report. \n\u201cThis kept billions of policy-violating ads from ever showing to a consumer, while ensuring legitimate businesses can show ads to customers faster.\u201d\nRodriguez highlighted the company\u2019s efforts to combat the use of AI-generated public figure impersonation ads. The company did so by developing countermeasures that include a new policy that suspends advertisers that promote those scams.\n\u201cAs a result, we were able to permanently suspend more than 700,000 offending advertiser accounts,\u201d Rodriguez wrote in the post. \u201cThis led to a 90% drop in reports of this kind of scam ad this year.\u201d\nThe report outlined Google\u2019s efforts in some other areas as well. These include advertiser identity verification, which provides transparency about who is behind an ad and prevents suspended bad actors from returning; advertiser policy enforcement, which prohibits content that Google believes to be harmful to users and the advertising ecosystem; restricted ads, which ensure that legally or culturally sensitive ads about things like gambling and alcohol are shown only to users in appropriate locations; and publisher enforcement, which helps publisher monetize their content while upholding their policies and restrictions, according to the report.\nOverall, in 2024, with the help of AI, Google removed 5.1 billion advertisements, restricted 9.1 billion advertisements and suspended 39.2 million advertiser accounts, per the report.\n\u201cThe ad safety landscape is constantly changing, reshaped by technological breakthroughs like advancements in AI, emerging abuse tactics and global events, demanding continuous agility from our industry,\u201d the report said. \u201cIn this dynamic environment, we are meeting these challenges head-on, deploying cutting-edge technology and collaborating with partners to foster a safer online experience for everyone.\u201d\nThe post Google Bolsters Ad Safety Efforts With Enhanced AI Tools appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-16T20:32:58-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-16T20:32:58-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Google-ads-AI.jpg", "tags": [ "ad verification", "AI", "Alex Rodriguez", "artificial intelligence", "GenAI", "generative AI", "Google", "Google advertising", "impersonation ads", "News", "PYMNTS News", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2563012", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/google/2025/googles-ai-search-switch-leaves-indie-websites-unmoored/", "title": "Google\u2019s AI Search Switch Leaves Indie Websites Unmoored", "content_html": "Google\u2019s AI-generated search answers have reportedly not been good for independent websites.
\nThose answers, along with Google\u2019s alterations to its search algorithm in support of them, have caused traffic to those websites to plunge, Bloomberg News reported Monday (April 7), citing interviews with 25 publishers and people working with them.
\nThe changes, Bloomberg said, threaten a \u201cdelicate symbiotic relationship\u201d between businesses and Google: they generate good content, and the tech giant sends them traffic.
\nAccording to the report, many publishers said they either need to shut down or revamp their distribution strategy. Experts this effort could ultimately reduce the quality of information Google can access for its search results and AI answers.
\nAnd those answers, the report added, can sometimes still contain inaccuracies, making them an inferior substitute for publishers\u2019 content.
\nFor example, Morgan McBride, who runs a DIY home improvement website, said that Google\u2019s AI can offer up advice that\u2019s unsafe or inaccurate, like recommending nonexistent products.
\nGoogle told Bloomberg that there was no evidence the launch of AI Overviews had hindered websites\u2019 traffic, saying it was \u201cmisleading to make generalizations about the causes\u201d of declining traffic \u201cbased on individual examples.\u201d
\nA company spokesperson added that traffic can shift for a variety of reasons, such as seasonal demand, users\u2019 interests and regular algorithmic updates to search.
\nAs PYMNTS wrote last year, the shift toward AI search has caused observers to emphasize the urgency of\u00a0 optimizing for AI algorithms and anticipating shifts in digital engagement to maintain a competitive edge.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s important for businesses to think of more than just pure on-page SEO optimization,\u201d Ben Poulton, founder of the SEO agency\u00a0Intellar, told PYMNTS.
\n\u201cAI overviews tend to try and showcase the whole experience. That means additional content, more FAQs answered, customer feedback addressed on the page, details about walking distance and return policies for brands with a brick-and-mortar, all need to be readily available, as that will give you the best shot of being featured,\u201d Poulton said.
\nAI, that report added, is transforming how users search the web and shop online, making the experience more personalized and intuitive.
\n\u201cAI-powered search goes beyond simple keyword matching and can interpret the meaning and context of a query to locate the most useful information,\u201d Arsalan Vossough, CTO and co-founder of VinoVoss, an AI-driven wine search engine, told PYMNTS.
\nThe post Google\u2019s AI Search Switch Leaves Indie Websites Unmoored appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Google\u2019s AI-generated search answers have reportedly not been good for independent websites.\nThose answers, along with Google\u2019s alterations to its search algorithm in support of them, have caused traffic to those websites to plunge, Bloomberg News reported Monday (April 7), citing interviews with 25 publishers and people working with them.\nThe changes, Bloomberg said, threaten a \u201cdelicate symbiotic relationship\u201d between businesses and Google: they generate good content, and the tech giant sends them traffic.\nAccording to the report, many publishers said they either need to shut down or revamp their distribution strategy. Experts this effort could ultimately reduce the quality of information Google can access for its search results and AI answers.\nAnd those answers, the report added, can sometimes still contain inaccuracies, making them an inferior substitute for publishers\u2019 content.\nFor example, Morgan McBride, who runs a DIY home improvement website, said that Google\u2019s AI can offer up advice that\u2019s unsafe or inaccurate, like recommending nonexistent products.\nGoogle told Bloomberg that there was no evidence the launch of AI Overviews had hindered websites\u2019 traffic, saying it was \u201cmisleading to make generalizations about the causes\u201d of declining traffic \u201cbased on individual examples.\u201d\nA company spokesperson added that traffic can shift for a variety of reasons, such as seasonal demand, users\u2019 interests and regular algorithmic updates to search.\nAs PYMNTS wrote last year, the shift toward AI search has caused observers to emphasize the urgency of\u00a0 optimizing for AI algorithms and anticipating shifts in digital engagement to maintain a competitive edge.\n\u201cIt\u2019s important for businesses to think of more than just pure on-page SEO optimization,\u201d Ben Poulton, founder of the SEO agency\u00a0Intellar, told PYMNTS.\n\u201cAI overviews tend to try and showcase the whole experience. That means additional content, more FAQs answered, customer feedback addressed on the page, details about walking distance and return policies for brands with a brick-and-mortar, all need to be readily available, as that will give you the best shot of being featured,\u201d Poulton said.\nAI, that report added, is transforming how users search the web and shop online, making the experience more personalized and intuitive.\n\u201cAI-powered search goes beyond simple keyword matching and can interpret the meaning and context of a query to locate the most useful information,\u201d Arsalan Vossough, CTO and co-founder of VinoVoss, an AI-driven wine search engine, told PYMNTS.\nThe post Google\u2019s AI Search Switch Leaves Indie Websites Unmoored appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-07T12:40:10-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-07T12:40:10-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Google-Search-AI-Mode.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "AI search", "AI-powered search", "artificial intelligence", "ecommerce", "Google", "Google AI", "News", "PYMNTS News", "search engine", "search engine optimization", "seo", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2520383", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/google/2025/google-suspends-account-of-advertiser-that-distributed-malware/", "title": "Google Suspends Account of Advertiser That Distributed Malware", "content_html": "Google reportedly suspended the account of an advertiser that was placing sponsored Google ads that pretended to offer access to\u00a0DeepSeek\u00a0but actually delivered malware.
\nThe criminal\u2019s ads that showed up as sponsored Google search results linked to a website that aimed to look like DeepSeek\u2019s but was fake and delivered a Trojan to the devices of browsers who clicked on a download button,\u00a0Malwarebytes said in a Wednesday (March 26)\u00a0blog post.
\nCompared to the real DeepSeek website, the post said, \u201cIt\u2019s different from the real website, but it looks convincing, nonetheless.\u201d
\nA Google spokesperson\u00a0told\u00a0Dark Reading Thursday (March 27) that the company has addressed the fake DeepSeek ads.
\n\u201cPrior to the publication of this report, our systems detected this malware campaign\u00a0and we suspended the advertiser\u2019s account,\u201d the spokesperson said, per the report. \u201cWe expressly prohibit ads that aim to distribute malware and immediately suspend advertisers who violate this policy.\u201d
\nThis is the latest of several cyberthreats that have been reported in recent months.
\nCybersecurity\u00a0company\u00a0AppSOC said Feb. 11 that its research unearthed serious threats from DeepSeek\u2019s artificial intelligence (AI) model and that the model was a \u201cPandora\u2019s Box\u201d of risks.
\nAppSOC said its tests found that the DeepSeek model showed a 98.8% failure rate when asked to create malware, an 86.7% failure rate when asked to produce virus code and a 68% failure rate when prompted to generate \u201cresponses with toxic or harmful language, indicating poor safeguards.\u201d
\nIn January, it was reported that\u00a0Trend Micro found that\u00a0cyberattackers\u00a0were using Google and\u00a0YouTube search results to target people seeking pirated/cracked software.
\nFor example, on YouTube, scammers were posing as \u201cguides,\u201d claiming to offer software installation tutorials but actually directing\u00a0their victims to video descriptions or comment sections where they had included links to fake software downloads that led to malware.
\nIn November, it was reported that\u00a0cybersecurity researchers uncovered a sophisticated malware campaign\u00a0that used fake AI video generation software to steal sensitive data from Windows and Mac users.
\nSecurity experts warned that the campaign employed stolen code-signing certificates and professional-looking websites, representing an emerging threat vector as organizations embrace AI content tools.
\nThe post Google Suspends Account of Advertiser That Distributed Malware appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Google reportedly suspended the account of an advertiser that was placing sponsored Google ads that pretended to offer access to\u00a0DeepSeek\u00a0but actually delivered malware.\nThe criminal\u2019s ads that showed up as sponsored Google search results linked to a website that aimed to look like DeepSeek\u2019s but was fake and delivered a Trojan to the devices of browsers who clicked on a download button,\u00a0Malwarebytes said in a Wednesday (March 26)\u00a0blog post.\nCompared to the real DeepSeek website, the post said, \u201cIt\u2019s different from the real website, but it looks convincing, nonetheless.\u201d\nA Google spokesperson\u00a0told\u00a0Dark Reading Thursday (March 27) that the company has addressed the fake DeepSeek ads.\n\u201cPrior to the publication of this report, our systems detected this malware campaign\u00a0and we suspended the advertiser\u2019s account,\u201d the spokesperson said, per the report. \u201cWe expressly prohibit ads that aim to distribute malware and immediately suspend advertisers who violate this policy.\u201d\nThis is the latest of several cyberthreats that have been reported in recent months.\nCybersecurity\u00a0company\u00a0AppSOC said Feb. 11 that its research unearthed serious threats from DeepSeek\u2019s artificial intelligence (AI) model and that the model was a \u201cPandora\u2019s Box\u201d of risks.\nAppSOC said its tests found that the DeepSeek model showed a 98.8% failure rate when asked to create malware, an 86.7% failure rate when asked to produce virus code and a 68% failure rate when prompted to generate \u201cresponses with toxic or harmful language, indicating poor safeguards.\u201d\nIn January, it was reported that\u00a0Trend Micro found that\u00a0cyberattackers\u00a0were using Google and\u00a0YouTube search results to target people seeking pirated/cracked software.\nFor example, on YouTube, scammers were posing as \u201cguides,\u201d claiming to offer software installation tutorials but actually directing\u00a0their victims to video descriptions or comment sections where they had included links to fake software downloads that led to malware.\nIn November, it was reported that\u00a0cybersecurity researchers uncovered a sophisticated malware campaign\u00a0that used fake AI video generation software to steal sensitive data from Windows and Mac users.\nSecurity experts warned that the campaign employed stolen code-signing certificates and professional-looking websites, representing an emerging threat vector as organizations embrace AI content tools.\nThe post Google Suspends Account of Advertiser That Distributed Malware appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-03-28T19:38:03-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-03-28T19:38:03-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Google-ads-malware-DeepSeek.jpg", "tags": [ "advertising", "Cybersecurity", "DeepSeek", "fraud", "Fraud Attack", "Google", "Hackers", "malware", "News", "PYMNTS News", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2520272", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/google/2025/google-reaches-preliminary-settlement-class-action-advertisers-2011/", "title": "Google Reaches Preliminary Settlement in Class Action Brought by Advertisers in 2011", "content_html": "Google reportedly reached a preliminary settlement in a 14-year-old class action lawsuit brought by advertisers by agreeing to pay $100 million.
\nThe lawsuit began in March 2011 and alleged that Google failed to provide the advertisers with promised discounts and charged them for clicks on ads outside the geographic areas they targeted, Reuters reported Friday (March 28).
\nAlthough Google agreed to the settlement, the company denied wrongdoing, according to the report.
\n\u201cThis case was about ad product features we changed over a decade ago, and we\u2019re pleased it\u2019s resolved,\u201d said Google spokesman Jose Castaneda, per the report.
\nThe settlement requires a judge\u2019s approval, the report said.
\nThe report attributed the length of the legal battle to the amount of evidence gathered by the two sides and the mediation sessions in which they participated.
\nIn another, separate case, it was reported Tuesday (March 25) that Google successfully convinced a federal judge to dismiss part of a lawsuit accusing the company of misleading investors regarding its digital advertising practices and user privacy protections.
\nThe ruling found that shareholders did not provide sufficient evidence that Google made false statements on its website concerning these issues.
\nThe lawsuit, filed in 2023, alleged that Google manipulated online advertising in its favor through preferential bidding for Google-owned platforms and a network agreement with Meta\u2019s Facebook. Investors argued that Google\u2019s public statements misrepresented the competitive nature of its ad market and auction-based advertising system.
\nIn a third lawsuit, it was reported March 7 that the Department of Justice dropped its bid to force Google to sell its artificial intelligence investments.
\nThe government is still seeking a court order that would compel the tech giant to sell its Chrome browser, following a ruling that Google held an illegal search monopoly.
\nA Google spokesperson told Reuters at the time that the DOJ\u2019s proposals \u201ccontinue to go miles beyond the court\u2019s decision and would harm America\u2019s consumers, economy and national security.\u201d
\nThe DOJ and a coalition of state attorneys general sued Google in 2020, alleging that the company engaged in unlawful competitive practices to uphold its search and advertising dominance. A judge sided with prosecutors and will hear evidence in April on how to proceed.
\nThe post Google Reaches Preliminary Settlement in Class Action Brought by Advertisers in 2011 appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Google reportedly reached a preliminary settlement in a 14-year-old class action lawsuit brought by advertisers by agreeing to pay $100 million.\nThe lawsuit began in March 2011 and alleged that Google failed to provide the advertisers with promised discounts and charged them for clicks on ads outside the geographic areas they targeted, Reuters reported Friday (March 28).\nAlthough Google agreed to the settlement, the company denied wrongdoing, according to the report.\n\u201cThis case was about ad product features we changed over a decade ago, and we\u2019re pleased it\u2019s resolved,\u201d said Google spokesman Jose Castaneda, per the report.\nThe settlement requires a judge\u2019s approval, the report said.\nThe report attributed the length of the legal battle to the amount of evidence gathered by the two sides and the mediation sessions in which they participated.\nIn another, separate case, it was reported Tuesday (March 25) that Google successfully convinced a federal judge to dismiss part of a lawsuit accusing the company of misleading investors regarding its digital advertising practices and user privacy protections.\nThe ruling found that shareholders did not provide sufficient evidence that Google made false statements on its website concerning these issues.\nThe lawsuit, filed in 2023, alleged that Google manipulated online advertising in its favor through preferential bidding for Google-owned platforms and a network agreement with Meta\u2019s Facebook. Investors argued that Google\u2019s public statements misrepresented the competitive nature of its ad market and auction-based advertising system.\nIn a third lawsuit, it was reported March 7 that the Department of Justice dropped its bid to force Google to sell its artificial intelligence investments.\nThe government is still seeking a court order that would compel the tech giant to sell its Chrome browser, following a ruling that Google held an illegal search monopoly.\nA Google spokesperson told Reuters at the time that the DOJ\u2019s proposals \u201ccontinue to go miles beyond the court\u2019s decision and would harm America\u2019s consumers, economy and national security.\u201d\nThe DOJ and a coalition of state attorneys general sued Google in 2020, alleging that the company engaged in unlawful competitive practices to uphold its search and advertising dominance. A judge sided with prosecutors and will hear evidence in April on how to proceed.\nThe post Google Reaches Preliminary Settlement in Class Action Brought by Advertisers in 2011 appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-03-28T14:50:40-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-03-28T14:50:40-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Google-lawsuits-legal-Big-Tech.jpg", "tags": [ "Big Tech", "Google", "Lawsuits", "legal", "News", "PYMNTS News", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2508793", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/google/2025/doj-google-can-keep-ai-investments-but-must-sell-chrome/", "title": "DOJ: Google Can Keep AI Investments but Must Sell Chrome", "content_html": "The Justice Department has dropped its bid to force Google to sell its artificial intelligence (AI) investments.
\nThat\u2019s according to a report Friday (March 7) by Reuters, which said the government is still seeking a court order that would compel the tech giant to sell its Chrome browser, following a judge\u2019s ruling that Google held an illegal search monopoly.
\n\u201cThe American dream is about higher values than just cheap goods and \u2018free\u2019 online services. These values include freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom to innovate, and freedom to compete in a market undistorted by the controlling hand of a monopolist,\u201d prosecutors wrote in court papers.
\nA Google spokesperson told Reuters that the Department of Justice\u2019s (DOJ) proposals \u201ccontinue to go miles beyond the Court\u2019s decision, and would harm America\u2019s consumers, economy and national security.\u201d
\nThe DOJ and a coalition of state attorneys general sued Google in 2020, alleging the company engaged in unlawful competitive practices to uphold its search and advertising dominance. A judge sided with prosecutors and will hear evidence on how to proceed in April.
\nLast month, Anthropic \u2014 the AI startup in which Google has invested $3 billion \u2014 asked the court to allow Google to keep its AI investments.
\n\u201cA remedy that requires Google to terminate its relationship with Anthropic would harm both Anthropic and competition more generally,\u201d the company\u2019s filing said in a court filing.
\nIn other Google/AI news, the company last week debuted a search capability dubbed \u201cAI mode.\u201d This still-experimental offering is \u201cAI Overviews on steroids,\u201d PYMNTS wrote, able to carry out more advanced reasoning and thinking. It also has multimodal capabilities, meaning it can understand other types of content besides text, while also letting users ask follow-up queries.
\n\u201cAI Mode is particularly helpful for questions that need further exploration, comparisons and reasoning,\u201d Robby Stein, vice president of product at Google, wrote in a blog post.
\n\u201cYou can ask nuanced questions that might have previously taken multiple searches \u2014 like exploring a new concept or comparing detailed options \u2014 and get a helpful AI-powered response with links to learn more,\u201d he added.
\nGoogle launched AI Overviews in the U.S. in May, a tool designed to provide an AI-generated summary of information from several sources along with search results.
\n\u00a0
\nThe post DOJ: Google Can Keep AI Investments but Must Sell Chrome appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "The Justice Department has dropped its bid to force Google to sell its artificial intelligence (AI) investments.\nThat\u2019s according to a report Friday (March 7) by Reuters, which said the government is still seeking a court order that would compel the tech giant to sell its Chrome browser, following a judge\u2019s ruling that Google held an illegal search monopoly.\n\u201cThe American dream is about higher values than just cheap goods and \u2018free\u2019 online services. These values include freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom to innovate, and freedom to compete in a market undistorted by the controlling hand of a monopolist,\u201d prosecutors wrote in court papers.\nA Google spokesperson told Reuters that the Department of Justice\u2019s (DOJ) proposals \u201ccontinue to go miles beyond the Court\u2019s decision, and would harm America\u2019s consumers, economy and national security.\u201d\nThe DOJ and a coalition of state attorneys general sued Google in 2020, alleging the company engaged in unlawful competitive practices to uphold its search and advertising dominance. A judge sided with prosecutors and will hear evidence on how to proceed in April.\nLast month, Anthropic \u2014 the AI startup in which Google has invested $3 billion \u2014 asked the court to allow Google to keep its AI investments.\n\u201cA remedy that requires Google to terminate its relationship with Anthropic would harm both Anthropic and competition more generally,\u201d the company\u2019s filing said in a court filing.\nIn other Google/AI news, the company last week debuted a search capability dubbed \u201cAI mode.\u201d This still-experimental offering is \u201cAI Overviews on steroids,\u201d PYMNTS wrote, able to carry out more advanced reasoning and thinking. It also has multimodal capabilities, meaning it can understand other types of content besides text, while also letting users ask follow-up queries.\n\u201cAI Mode is particularly helpful for questions that need further exploration, comparisons and reasoning,\u201d Robby Stein, vice president of product at Google, wrote in a blog post.\n\u201cYou can ask nuanced questions that might have previously taken multiple searches \u2014 like exploring a new concept or comparing detailed options \u2014 and get a helpful AI-powered response with links to learn more,\u201d he added.\nGoogle launched AI Overviews in the U.S. in May, a tool designed to provide an AI-generated summary of information from several sources along with search results.\n\u00a0\nThe post DOJ: Google Can Keep AI Investments but Must Sell Chrome appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-03-09T17:27:35-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-03-09T17:28:43-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Google-Chrome.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "Anthropic", "artificial intelligence", "Chrome", "Department of Justice", "DoJ", "Google", "Google AI", "Google search", "News", "PYMNTS News", "What's Hot" ] } ] }