Alphabet's shares rose 8% following a ruling that minimized the consequences of a major antitrust case against Google, which found it held an illegal monopoly in internet search. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled against forced divestitures of key assets like Chrome and Android but mandated changes to Google's distribution practices and data sharing. The DOJ emphasized the need for remedies to enhance competition in the search market and prevent anticompetitive behavior in Google’s GenAI products.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta is considering how to limit Google's monopoly in internet search during closing arguments in a significant antitrust trial. The Justice Department has proposed measures that could restrict Google's promotion of its AI product, Gemini, as AI becomes a critical new entry point for search.