AI Law - International Review of Artificial Intelligence LawCC BY-NC-SA Commercial Licence ISSN 3035-5451
G. Giappichelli Editore

08/12/2025 - Court Blocks Google from Mandating Gemini AI Bundling (USA)

argument: Notizie/News - Competition Law / Antitrust Law

Source: RS Web Solutions

RS Web Solutions covers a significant antitrust ruling delivered on December 5, 2025, by a US federal court against Google. The judge ruled that Google cannot mandate smartphone manufacturers or partners to bundle its "Gemini" AI suite as a condition for licensing other essential services like the Android operating system or Google Search. This decision is seen as a victory for fair competition, aiming to prevent the tech giant from leveraging its dominance in one market to monopolize the emerging AI sector.

The article explains that the ruling is part of the remedial phase of the broader DOJ antitrust case. The court accepted arguments that forced bundling would stifle innovation and disadvantage smaller AI competitors. Google is now required to offer its AI products on a standalone basis and allow manufacturers greater freedom to pre-install rival AI assistants. This mandates a significant restructuring of Google's distribution agreements and business practices.