Shares of Google parent company Alphabet ticking higher today despite a report that the DOJ will call for Google to sell off its Chrome browser as part of its search monopoly remedies.

But could that end up limiting Google in the AI race as well?

Deirdre Bosa has more than the potential fallout for today's tech check. How is it all connected, Deirdre?

Well, first there, as you mentioned, Google shares, yes, quickly recovered from those

headlines last night, slightly higher this morning, suggesting that investors don't

think a Chrome sale is actually going to happen, or at least that it's a long way off.

And there are variables like appeals and a new administration, by the way, that will factor

in.

But a Chrome breakoff would have implications

for Google's position in the Gen A.R. Arms race, especially as this race moves into the era of

agents or applications that are built on top of frontier models. Now, key to that next phase is

an ecosystem of data synergy across products. You're looking at that flywheel here, and ecosystem

lock-in. All of these elements that come together in Google Chrome. For example, when you log

into Chrome using your Google account, it automatically syncs your browsing history, calendar

appointments, YouTube recommendations, even your Google Maps locations across all of your devices. So an AI agent would

theoretically draw on that full suite of data to build a highly personalized and unified experience.

The more unified, the better and more effective that's going to be. Now, if you break out Chrome,

you break that synergy, potentially giving an edge to other platforms like Microsofts or

Apple's that have their own ecosystems. There's also, that's also where this potential remedy

misses its mark. Instead of leveling the playing field for smaller search rivals, it would

actually hand big tech even greater lock-in, players like Apple and Microsoft. Now Google didn't respond to specific

proposals, but did say in a statement, the DOJ continues to push a radical agenda that goes

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