Google CEO Sundar Pichai has confirmed that the company will vigorously appeal a recent antitrust ruling against it, marking one of the first times he has publicly addressed the case. In an interview with Bloomberg, Pichai expressed his disagreement with the judge's decision, which labelled Google a "monopolist." He emphasized that the company plans to engage in a prolonged legal battle to overturn the ruling, which is part of an antitrust lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Pichai acknowledged the scrutiny that comes with Google’s size and influence, stating that such attention is "inevitable."
The case centers on accusations that Google maintains an illegal monopoly over search engine services. Despite the setback, Pichai asserted that Google’s dominance in the market is the result of continuous innovation, which even competitors recognize. He firmly defended Google as "the world's best search engine" while emphasizing that rivals acknowledge its superior position.
Currently, the case is in the remedies phase, where the court and parties involved are determining potential corrective actions to address Google’s monopolistic practices. Pichai confirmed that Google intends to submit its own proposals to the court. While the ruling has attracted significant attention in both the tech industry and the public, Google’s operations will continue as normal during the appeals process, which Pichai expects could span several years.
This antitrust lawsuit is considered a landmark case that could have major implications for other large technology companies facing similar scrutiny over market dominance.