A U.S. courtroom dominated in August that Google has a search monopoly, and whereas Google appeals, the Justice Division is determining what sort of potential penalties to impose — like breaking off Chrome.
As a part of this course of, the DOJ needs to name on a particular witness, in accordance with a latest courtroom submitting: Dmitry Shevelenko, chief enterprise officer of Perplexity, an AI search supplier most lately valued at $9 billion, per Reuters.
Perplexity and different generative AI instruments like OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search have emerged as a possible alternative for looking the web, as they’ll supply direct solutions to difficult queries (albeit, generally with made-up or inaccurate info). Google has responded to the risk with its personal AI search instruments, resembling AI Overviews, which give AI-generated solutions above search outcomes.
The DOJ needs to ask Shevelenko about “generative AI’s relationship with Search Entry Factors, distribution, limitations to entry and growth, and knowledge sharing.”
“Search entry factors” is a time period the DOJ makes use of to explain issues like Google Chrome — locations the place folks go to look the web.
Whereas the submitting doesn’t spell out precisely why the DOJ needs to ask Perplexity about these subjects, it might assist its argument that Google monopolizes the search enterprise and closes out potential rivals, and thus deserves stronger penalties.
TechCrunch requested Perplexity whether or not it has agreed to have its government testify and for its ideas on the antitrust case. Perplexity didn’t reply instantly to a request for remark, and neither did Google.
Perplexity is successfully caught in the course of the dispute, as either side need info from it that would assist their instances. Google subpoenaed Perplexity in October for firm paperwork to make its personal case that it has viable competitors within the search subject. (Google subpoenaed Microsoft and OpenAI as nicely.)
Nevertheless, Perplexity has but to supply “a single doc” to Google as of December 11, the tech large lamented in a courtroom submitting, claiming that there’s “no conceivable justification for additional delay” after two months of ready.
For its half, Perplexity says within the submitting that it has already agreed to meet 12 out of Google’s 14 doc requests however is “nonetheless evaluating the burden related to gathering such a probably expansive universe of paperwork.”
Perplexity additionally says that whereas it has agreed to supply copies of licensing agreements “associated to AI coaching,” Google needs all of Perplexity’s licensing agreements and that it has requested Google to “meet and confer” about this.
