U.S. Justice Department Investigates Google's AI Deal for Antitrust Violations

According to PANews, the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating whether Google has violated antitrust laws by agreeing to use artificial intelligence technology from a popular chatbot manufacturer. Sources indicate that antitrust enforcement agencies have recently informed Google that they are examining the structure of its deal with Character.AI to determine if it was designed to bypass formal government merger reviews. Under the agreement reached last year, the founders of the chatbot company joined Google, which also received a non-exclusive license to use the technology. A Google spokesperson stated in an email that the company is always willing to respond to regulatory inquiries. They expressed excitement about the addition of Character.AI talent but clarified that Google does not hold equity in the company, which continues to operate independently. Even if the deal does not require formal review, the Justice Department retains the authority to investigate potential anti-competitive behavior. The investigation is currently in its early stages and has not resulted in any allegations of misconduct against Google, and it may ultimately not lead to enforcement action.