Google CEO Sundar Pichai appeared in the US government’s major tech antitrust trial, a significant moment reminiscent of the Microsoft case in the 1990s.
(Photo : STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
Google CEO Sundar Pichai leaves a US Senate bipartisan Artificial Intelligence (AI) Insight Forum at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on September 13, 2023.
Highlighting Business Ethics, Search-Default Revenue
As a key witness for Google, Pichai shared his journey from Chennai, India, to becoming the company’s CEO in 2015. Standing at a podium, he discussed how Google’s investments in Chrome, their web browser, enhanced user experiences with popular websites and increased Google searches.
The Verge reported that this historical account is pivotal to Google’s defense, emphasizing that their search dominance is based on user preference and not illegal monopolistic practices.
By seamlessly integrating Google’s search engine into the Chrome browser and providing users with a minimalist design that maximized space for search results and web content within the browser window, Google aimed to boost search usage, as testified by Pichai.
Pichai pointed out a significant correlation, supported by an internal email from 2010 presented by Google attorney John Schmidtlein.
This revealed that users who switched from Microsoft’s Internet Explorer conducted 48% more Google searches, while those switching from Mozilla’s Firefox to Chrome performed 27% more searches on Google.
Responding to Allegations from Competitors
This testimony serves as Google’s response to allegations from competitors, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who testified that Google has hindered competition in search and poses a risk of dominating the artificial intelligence sector by utilizing its large language models based on search query data it controls.
Google has been paying Apple an estimated $10 billion annually to maintain its position as the default search engine on Apple devices and software. In 2021, Google spent $26.3 billion securing default agreements with partners globally.
Reuters reported that Pichai acknowledged that Google pays Apple more for search-default agreements than any Android handset manufacturer. He explained that this discrepancy is partly due to separate deals Google has with Android smartphone makers and telecom carriers.
On the other hand, Apple acts as both the original equipment manufacturer and controls its telecom channels, which magnifies the apparent payment figure.
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Throughout the trial, a pivotal question has been why Google is willing to invest substantial sums in Apple and other search distribution partners if, as Google contends, switching search providers is straightforward. When directly asked by Google’s legal team.
Pichai emphasized that designating Google as the default search engine was a strategic move to drive higher usage of their products and services, recognizing the inherent value in this approach.
During his testimony, the Justice Department attempted to draw a comparison between Google’s eagerness to secure its position as the default search engine and its objections to Microsoft’s potential dominance in Internet Explorer.
Bloomberg reported that Google had expressed concerns about competition issues related to Microsoft’s actions, as indicated in a letter sent to Microsoft.
In response, the government attorney sought to highlight the significance Google places on search defaults both financially and in influencing user search behavior. However, Pichai argued that the situations were distinct.
He characterized Google’s agreements as standard promotional deals, while criticizing Microsoft’s approach for not providing users with clear options to choose their preferred search provider and instead automatically defaulting to Bing if no choice was made.
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