OpenAI’s head of product Nick Turley told the Google antitrust trial in Washington that if US regulators force Alphabet to flog off the world’s most popular browser, OpenAI says it’s interested.

Turley was a witness for the government just as the Justice Department outlined its nuclear option for restoring competition in online search. Judge Amit Mehta already ruled that Google has a monopoly thanks to exclusivity deals with Samsung, AT&T, and just about everyone else with a mobile device contract.

Google’s not thrilled. The outfit said it’ll appeal and claims there’s still “vibrant competition” in AI thanks to rivals like Meta and Microsoft. It has no current plans to offload Chrome but has been caught mulling exclusivity for its Gemini AI tool and Chrome browser—before quietly loosening its grip with Samsung, Motorola and a few carriers.

Turley said it approached Google last July for access to its search API to plug into ChatGPT, but got the cold shoulder by August. Google apparently balked at letting “too many competitors” in the door.

“We have no partnership with Google today,” Turley testified, adding that using Google’s tech would’ve made ChatGPT a “better product.”

OpenAI says that if the DOJ gets its way and forces Google to open its search data to rivals, that would give ChatGPT a massive leg up. Turley admitted ChatGPT’s internal search can’t yet handle 80 per cent of queries with up-to-date accuracy.