Google Must Improve Ad Tech Compatibility, Judge Rules

A federal judge overseeing the U.S. government’s antitrust case against Google’s ad technology business said artificial intelligence has changed the market landscape. According to Sina Finance, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema ordered Google to improve its ad technology and strengthen integration with rival products. The ruling follows last year’s finding that Google held an illegal monopoly in parts of the ad technology market, in part because of unlawful tying of multiple products. Brinkema said emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, made it impossible for the court to impose harsher penalties. She also accepted Google’s view that the antitrust remedies should remain in place for six years rather than the 15 years sought by the U.S. Department of Justice. Brinkema said 15 years would be too long for a rapidly changing market and cited a judge’s remark from Microsoft’s antitrust case: “Imposing a remedial injunction is like putting horseshoes on a galloping horse.” In another antitrust case last year, changes brought by AI to the search market helped Google avoid a breakup order. Brinkema said the government had not shown that divestiture of the ad technology business would repair competition more effectively than behavioral remedies, and said industry distrust alone was not enough to justify forcing a breakup.